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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region

324 Ranked Colleges
19,622 Degrees Awarded
$33,700 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Visual & Performing Arts is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 10th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 149,215 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, visual and performing arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $26,700 and had an average of $25,051 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 19,622 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $26,942 and $26,129 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 324 colleges that offer a degree in visual and performing arts. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in visual and performing arts.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region visual & performing arts students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts in the Great Lakes Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The Modern College of Design. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. The Modern College of Design is a small school located in Kettering, Ohio that handed out 70 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full The Modern College of Design Visual & Performing Arts Report

1
Compass College of Cinematic Arts crest
Compass College of Cinematic Arts
Grand Rapids, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Compass College of Cinematic Arts. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Compass College of Cinematic Arts

3
The Academy crest
American Academy of Art
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 324 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, American Academy of Art landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private for-profit school awarded 33 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at The Academy

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cleveland Institute of Music. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 93 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Cleveland Institute of Music

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region. MIAD is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 144 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

6
Carnbrook Academy crest
Cranbrook Academy of Art
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Cranbrook Academy of Art did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. Cranbrook Academy of Art is a small school located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan that handed out 57 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Cranbrook Academy of Art Visual & Performing Arts Report

7

School of the Art Institute of Chicago landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 754 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full School of the Art Institute of Chicago Visual & Performing Arts Report

8

Cleveland Institute of Art landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 113 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at CIA

9

Columbus College of Art and Design landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 186 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Columbus College of Art and Design

10
AAC crest
Art Academy of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio

Art Academy of Cincinnati landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Art Academy of Cincinnati is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 22 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Art Academy of Cincinnati Visual & Performing Arts Report

11

College for Creative Studies did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #11. Detroit, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 192 students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at CCS

12
The North Coast College crest
The North Coast College
Lakewood, Ohio

The North Coast College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Lakewood, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at The North Coast College

13
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #13, Columbia College Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Columbia College Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 879 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Columbia College Chicago

14

International College of Broadcasting came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 23 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full International College of Broadcasting Visual & Performing Arts Report

15
Lawrence U crest
Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #15, Lawrence University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Lawrence U is a small school located in Appleton, Wisconsin that handed out 84 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Lawrence U Visual & Performing Arts Report

16
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Oberlin is a small school located in Oberlin, Ohio that handed out 174 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Oberlin College

17
Millikin crest
Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Millikin University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Decatur, Illinois. It awarded 114 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Millikin University

18
Principia crest
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

Principia College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Principia College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Elsah, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Principia

19

Baldwin Wallace University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Berea, Ohio, and it awarded 132 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Baldwin Wallace University Visual & Performing Arts Report

20
Roosevelt crest
Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 174 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Roosevelt

21
Eureka College crest
Eureka College
Eureka, Illinois

Eureka College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Eureka, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Eureka College

22
UW - Stout crest
University of Wisconsin - Stout
Menomonie, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stout ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Stout is a medium-sized public school situated in Menomonie, Wisconsin. It awarded 173 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of Wisconsin - Stout

23
Kenyon crest
Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

With a ranking of #23, Kenyon College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Gambier, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 34 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Kenyon

24
Taylor U crest
Taylor University
Upland, Indiana

Taylor University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Taylor U is located in Upland, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 40 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Taylor University

25

Ohio Wesleyan University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Delaware, Ohio, and it awarded 32 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Ohio Wesleyan University

Rest of the Best 49 in Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region

Not only did these schools make the top 49 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
North Central crest
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois
28
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois
29
Adrian crest
Adrian College
Adrian, Michigan
30
UE crest
University of Evansville
Evansville, Indiana
31
Greenville crest
Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois
31
Cedarville crest
Cedarville University
Cedarville, Ohio
33
Knox crest
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois
34
Earlham crest
Earlham College
Richmond, Indiana
35
SAE Institute - Chicago crest
SAE Institute - Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
36
Goshen crest
Goshen College
Goshen, Indiana
37
Carthage crest
Carthage College
Kenosha, Wisconsin
38
SMC crest
Southwestern Michigan College
Dowagiac, Michigan
39
Franklin College of Indiana crest
Franklin College
Franklin, Indiana
40
Wittenberg crest
Wittenberg University
Springfield, Ohio
41
42
Otterbein crest
Otterbein University
Westerville, Ohio
43
Illinois Wesleyan crest
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois
44
WLC crest
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
45
Anderson University Indiana crest
Anderson University Indiana
Anderson, Indiana
46
Denison crest
Denison University
Granville, Ohio
47
DePauw crest
DePauw University
Greencastle, Indiana
48
49
PFW crest
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana

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