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2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

585 Ranked Colleges
9,532 Degrees Awarded
$32,900 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Fine Arts is the 66th most popular major in the country with 11,681 degrees awarded in 2021-2022.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 9,532 fine arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” ranking, we looked at 585 colleges that offer a degree in fine arts. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in fine arts.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Fine Arts Schools

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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 Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree fine arts students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Fine Arts

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major. School of the Art Institute of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 584 bachelors’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 full report on Fine Arts at School of the Art Institute of Chicago

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major. Institute of American Indian Arts is a small public school situated in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It awarded 21 bachelors’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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.

Read more about Fine Arts at Institute of American Indian Arts

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major. Located in New York, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 62 degrees to qualified bachelors’s fine arts students in 2021-2022.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 full report on Fine Arts at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s fine arts degrees to 45 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Fine Arts Report

5

Out of the 585 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s fine arts students in 2021-2022.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Fine Arts at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

6
Bard crest
Bard College
Annandale-On-Hudson, New York

With a ranking of #6, Bard College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Bard College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Annandale-On-Hudson, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 138 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine Arts at Bard College

7
LCAD crest
Laguna College of Art and Design
Laguna Beach, California

Laguna College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Laguna Beach, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s fine arts students in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Laguna College of Art and Design Fine Arts Report

8
Alfred crest
Alfred University
Alfred, New York

Alfred University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Located in Alfred, New York, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 69 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s fine arts students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Alfred Fine Arts Report

9
Moore College crest
Moore College of Art and Design
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Moore College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s fine arts degrees to 5 students in 2021-2022.

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. 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 Fine Arts at Moore College of Art and Design

10
Otis College of Art and Design crest
Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles, California

Otis College of Art and Design ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s fine arts students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Otis College of Art and Design Fine Arts Report

11
Principia crest
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

Principia College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Elsah, Illinois, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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.

Full Principia Fine Arts Report

12
Cornish College of the Arts crest
Cornish College of the Arts
Seattle, Washington

Cornish College of the Arts ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Cornish College of the Arts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Fine Arts at Cornish College of the Arts

13
14
Bryn Athyn College crest
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church
Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania

Bryn Athyn College of the New Church did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #14. Bryn Athyn College of the New Church is located in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.

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.

Read full report on Fine Arts at Bryn Athyn College

15

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design is a small school located in Lakewood, Colorado that handed out 6 bachelors’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Fine Arts at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

16

California Institute of the Arts landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. CalArts is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Valencia, California. It awarded 16 bachelors’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full CalArts Fine Arts Report

17
Lyon crest
Lyon College
Batesville, Arkansas

Lyon College ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Lyon is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Batesville, Arkansas. It awarded 9 bachelors’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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 1.6% 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%.

Read full report on Fine Arts at Lyon

18
Brevard College crest
Brevard College
Brevard, North Carolina

Brevard College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #18. Brevard College is located in Brevard, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s fine arts degrees to qualified 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Fine Arts at Brevard College

19
SVA crest
School of Visual Arts
New York, New York

School of Visual Arts came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s fine arts degrees to 50 students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full School of Visual Arts Fine Arts Report

20
Knox crest
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Located in Galesburg, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s fine arts students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Fine Arts at Knox

21
BLC crest
Bethany Lutheran College
Mankato, Minnesota

Bethany Lutheran College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. This small school is located in Mankato, Minnesota, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine Arts at Bethany Lutheran College

22
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

Carleton College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Carleton is a small school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 11 bachelors’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, 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.

Read more about Fine Arts at Carleton College

23
Drew crest
Drew University
Madison, New Jersey

Drew University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Drew is located in Madison, New Jersey and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. 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%.

Read more about Fine Arts at Drew

24
Art Center College of Design crest
Art Center College of Design
Pasadena, California

Art Center College of Design landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 85%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Fine Arts at Art Center College of Design

25
Keystone College crest
Keystone College
La Plume, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #25, Keystone College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Keystone College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in La Plume, Pennsylvania. It awarded 2 bachelors’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.

Full Keystone College Fine Arts Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
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Whitman College
Walla Walla, WA
28
Mills crest
Mills College
Oakland, CA
29
Spalding crest
Spalding University
Louisville, KY
30
31
32
33
34
35
Sweet Briar crest
Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar, VA
35
37
38
Ripon crest
Ripon College
Ripon, WI
39
40
41
Holy Cross College crest
Holy Cross College
Notre Dame, IN
42
SNC crest
Sierra Nevada College
Incline Village, NV
43
Guilford crest
Guilford College
Greensboro, NC
44
45
Hastings crest
Hastings College
Hastings, NE
46
Randolph crest
Randolph College
Lynchburg, VA
47
48
Otterbein crest
Otterbein University
Westerville, OH
49
Maryville College crest
Maryville College
Maryville, TN
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Flagler College - St AugustineSaint Augustine, FL
52Eastern Connecticut State UniversityWillimantic, CT
53Colby CollegeWaterville, ME
54Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY
55Ringling College of Art and DesignSarasota, FL
56Minneapolis College of Art and DesignMinneapolis, MN
57University of South Carolina - AikenAiken, SC
58Grinnell CollegeGrinnell, IA
59Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OH
60Rhode Island CollegeProvidence, RI
61The New SchoolNew York, NY
62Pitzer CollegeClaremont, CA
63Asbury UniversityWilmore, KY
64University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, CO
65Clarke UniversityDubuque, IA
RankCollegeLocation
66Gordon CollegeWenham, MA
67Rosemont CollegeRosemont, PA
68Agnes Scott CollegeDecatur, GA
69Purdue University Fort WayneFort Wayne, IN
70University of South Carolina - BeaufortBluffton, SC
71Elmira CollegeElmira, NY
72Lewis & Clark CollegePortland, OR
73Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, MD
74Bridgewater CollegeBridgewater, VA
75Georgetown CollegeGeorgetown, KY
76Beloit CollegeBeloit, WI
77The College of IdahoCaldwell, ID
78Willamette UniversitySalem, OR
79Beacon CollegeLeesburg, FL
80University of North GeorgiaDahlonega, GA
81Mount Holyoke CollegeSouth Hadley, MA
82California State University - Long BeachLong Beach, CA
83University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha, NE
84MSU TexasWichita Falls, TX
85DePauw UniversityGreencastle, IN
86University of Mary Hardin - BaylorBelton, TX
87The College of WoosterWooster, OH
88Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles, CA

Notes and References

References

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