23
Ranked Colleges
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Degrees Awarded
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Avg Salary
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 in Massachusetts” ranking is part of that endeavor.
With 149,215 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, visual and performing arts is the 10th most popular major in the United States. 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 Massachusetts, there were 5,349 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,005 and $25,938 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 826 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $64,084 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts” ranking, we looked at 23 colleges that offer a degree in visual and performing arts. That schools that top this list have a program in visual and performing arts in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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 in Massachusetts” 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts”.
Out of the 23 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, Longy School of Music of Bard College landed the #1 spot on the list. Longy is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 67 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Longy Visual & Performing Arts Report
Out of the 23 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, The New England Conservatory of Music landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 122 diplomas to qualified masters’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at The New England Conservatory of Music
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pine Manor College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts list. Pine Manor is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Pine Manor College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Berklee College of Music. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts. Berklee College of Music is a medium-sized school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 187 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Berklee College of Music
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts College of Art and Design. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this small public school handed out 33 diplomas to qualified masters’s visual and performing arts students 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Massachusetts College of Art and Design Visual & Performing Arts Report
Lesley University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to 28 students 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Lesley University
Williams College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full Williams College Visual & Performing Arts Report
Emerson College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Emerson Visual & Performing Arts Report
Boston University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts list. Boston University is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 118 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Boston University
Tufts University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking. Tufts is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Medford, Massachusetts. It awarded 34 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Tufts University
Harvard University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #11. Harvard is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 71 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Harvard Visual & Performing Arts Report
University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking. University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth is a medium-sized public school situated in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. It awarded 12 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at UMass Dartmouth
Endicott College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking. This small school is located in Beverly, Massachusetts, and it awarded 7 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Endicott College Visual & Performing Arts Report
With a ranking of #14, University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts list. Amherst, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UMass Amherst
Suffolk University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #15. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Suffolk University Visual & Performing Arts Report
With a ranking of #16, Northeastern University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts list. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 24 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Northeastern University
Brandeis University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking. Brandeis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waltham, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Brandeis University
Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking. Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network is a fairly large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 7 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network
University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #19. This fairly large school is located in Lowell, Massachusetts, and it awarded 7 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of Massachusetts - Lowell
Smith College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking. This small school is located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 1 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 Smith College Visual & Performing Arts Report
With a ranking of #21, Fitchburg State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts list. Fitchburg State is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 104 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Fitchburg State Visual & Performing Arts Report
Westfield State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #21. Westfield State University is located in Westfield, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
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%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Westfield State University
University of Massachusetts - Boston did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #21. University of Massachusetts - Boston is a fairly large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 47 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at UMass Boston
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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