505
Ranked Colleges
15,845
Degrees Awarded
$32,741
Avg Salary
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 15,845 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major” ranking, we looked at 505 colleges that offer a degree in visual and performing arts. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their visual and performing arts program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree visual & performing arts students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend American Conservatory Theater. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major. Located in San Francisco, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified masters’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 American Conservatory Theater
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY is a small private for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 69 masters’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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY Visual & Performing Arts Report
Out of the 505 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Blue Lake, California, and it awarded 5 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 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 Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend American Film Institute Conservatory. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 73 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at American Film Institute Conservatory
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cranbrook Academy of Art. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major. This small school is located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and it awarded 57 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Carnbrook Academy Visual & Performing Arts Report
With a ranking of #6, New York Academy of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 46 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full New York Academy of Art Visual & Performing Arts Report
Longy School of Music of Bard College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 67 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 3 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 Longy School of Music of Bard College
Maine Media College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking. Maine Media College is a small school located in Rockport, Maine that handed out 11 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Maine Media College
With a ranking of #9, The New England Conservatory of Music did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. The New England Conservatory of Music is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 122 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 New England Conservatory of Music
San Francisco Conservatory of Music ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. San Francisco Conservatory of Music is located in San Francisco, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 66 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
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 impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Manhattan School of Music ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Manhattan School of Music is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 132 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.
Full Manhattan School of Music Visual & Performing Arts Report
The Juilliard School ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. The Juilliard School is located in New York, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 115 masters’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 94%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Juilliard
Cleveland Institute of Music ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Cleveland Institute of Music is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 40 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Cleveland Institute of Music
Seattle Film Institute did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking, coming in at #14. This small school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 18 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full Seattle Film Institute Visual & Performing Arts Report
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
With a ranking of #16, Maryland Institute College of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. This small school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 225 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 Maryland Institute College of Art
California Institute of the Arts came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking. CalArts is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Valencia, California. It awarded 120 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at CalArts
New York Film Academy landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Burbank, California, and it awarded 200 masters’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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%.
Full New York Film Academy Visual & Performing Arts Report
With a ranking of #19, Pacific Northwest College of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Pacific Northwest College of Art is located in Portland, Oregon and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 40 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
Full Pacific Northwest College of Art Visual & Performing Arts Report
Vermont College of Fine Arts came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Montpelier, Vermont, and it awarded 40 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at VCFA
New York School of Interior Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking, coming in at #21. New York School of Interior Design is located in New York, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 48 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.
Full NYSID Visual & Performing Arts Report
With a ranking of #22, San Francisco Art Institute did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. SFAI is located in San Francisco, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full SFAI Visual & Performing Arts Report
University of North Carolina School of the Arts landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking. University of North Carolina School of the Arts is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 57 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UNCSA
Pratt Institute - Main ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Pratt Institute is a medium-sized school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 281 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.
Full Pratt Institute - Main Visual & Performing Arts Report
Goddard College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Plainfield, Vermont, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified masters’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Goddard College