by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 Fine Arts Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2021-2022, 11,681 people earned their degree in fine arts, making the major the 66th most popular in the United States.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,156 fine arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,979 and $43,370 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” ranking, we looked at 152 colleges that offer a degree in fine arts. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their fine arts program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree fine arts students.
Out of the 152 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Maine Media College landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Rockport, Maine, and it awarded 3 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 1 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a small school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 30 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Maine College of Art. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major. Maine College of Art is a small school located in Portland, Maine that handed out 9 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
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%. 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.
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 #5 for the Schools for a Master’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 116 masters’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, 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.
Read more about Fine Arts at School of the Art Institute of Chicago
With a ranking of #6, Vermont College of Fine Arts did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Vermont College of Fine Arts is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Montpelier, Vermont. It awarded 15 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. 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.
Laguna College of Art and Design ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. This small school is located in Laguna Beach, California, and it awarded 7 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.
Massachusetts College of Art and Design ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a small public school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 10 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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.
Full Massachusetts College of Art and Design Fine Arts Report
California College of the Arts landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 28 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
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%. 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.
Moore College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 degrees to qualified masters’s fine arts students in 2021-2022.
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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Fine Arts at Moore College of Art and Design
Otis College of Art and Design ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 12 masters’s fine arts 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. 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%.
Minneapolis College of Art and Design came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. MCAD is a private not-for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #13, School of Visual Arts did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Located in New York, New York, this small private for-profit school handed out 34 diplomas to qualified masters’s fine arts students in 2021-2022.
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 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Pratt Institute - Main came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Pratt Institute - Main is a medium-sized school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 35 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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 1.0% 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%.
Art Center College of Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #15. Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 23 masters’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Fine Arts at Art Center College of Design
California Institute of the Arts came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Valencia, California, and it awarded 20 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.
Read full report on Fine Arts at California Institute of the Arts
With a ranking of #18, Lesley University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Lesley University is a small school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 19 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
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. 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%.
Claremont Graduate University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Claremont Graduate University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 19 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 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.
Read full report on Fine Arts at Claremont Graduate University
Maharishi International University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Maharishi International University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fairfield, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Fontbonne University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 degrees to qualified masters’s fine arts students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.
Houston Baptist University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. HBU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
With a ranking of #23, Hunter College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Hunter is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 43 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Northern Vermont University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #24. Northern Vermont University is a small school located in Johnson, Vermont that handed out 8 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.
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%. 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.
Western Connecticut State University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Western Connecticut State University is located in Danbury, Connecticut and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 3 masters’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
