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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Fine & Studio Arts

285 Ranked Colleges
2,948 Degrees Awarded
$30,385 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master'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. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” ranking.

Fine & Studio Arts is the 31st most popular major in the country with 37,604 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , fine & studio arts graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $25,159 and had an average of $25,720 in loans still to pay off.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 2,948 fine & studio 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 285 colleges that offer a degree in fine & studio arts. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their fine & studio arts program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. 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.

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

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

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Fine & Studio Arts

1

Out of the 285 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY landed the #1 spot on the list. Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY is a private for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 107 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY

2
New York Academy of Art crest
New York Academy of Art
New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend New York Academy of Art. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s fine arts degrees to 42 students in 2021-2022.

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 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at New York Academy of Art

3
Maine Media College crest
Maine Media College
Rockport, Maine

Out of the 285 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 #3 spot on the list. Maine Media College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rockport, Maine. It awarded 3 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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

Full Maine Media College Fine & Studio Arts Report

4
Carnbrook Academy crest
Cranbrook Academy of Art
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Cranbrook Academy of Art. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Cranbrook Academy of Art is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. It awarded 40 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 Fine & Studio Arts at Cranbrook Academy of Art

5
PAFA crest
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. PAFA is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 30 masters’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.

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%. 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 Fine & Studio Arts at PAFA

6

7

With a ranking of #7, Pacific Northwest College of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Pacific Northwest College of Art is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Portland, Oregon. It awarded 26 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 Fine & Studio Arts at Pacific Northwest College of Art

8
Maine College of Art crest
Maine College of Art
Portland, Maine

Maine College of Art ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. This small school is located in Portland, Maine, and it awarded 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%. 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 & Studio Arts at Maine College of Art

9

School of the Art Institute of Chicago came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. School of the Art Institute of Chicago is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 133 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 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at School of the Art Institute of Chicago

10

11
VCFA crest
Vermont College of Fine Arts
Montpelier, Vermont

Vermont College of Fine Arts came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. 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.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at VCFA

12
LCAD crest
Laguna College of Art and Design
Laguna Beach, California

With a ranking of #12, Laguna College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Laguna Beach, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s fine arts degrees to 7 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, 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.

Full Laguna College of Art and Design Fine & Studio Arts Report

13
California College of the Arts crest
California College of the Arts
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #13, California College of the Arts did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. San Francisco, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s fine arts degrees to 29 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, 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.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at California College of the Arts

14
Warren Wilson crest
Warren Wilson College
Swannanoa, North Carolina

Warren Wilson College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Warren Wilson College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Swannanoa, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. 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 Fine & Studio Arts at Warren Wilson College

15
RISD crest
Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, Rhode Island

Rhode Island School of Design came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. RISD is a private not-for-profit institution located in Providence, Rhode Island. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 0.6% 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 more about Fine & Studio Arts at RISD

16

Massachusetts College of Art and Design landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. 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.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Massachusetts College of Art and Design Fine & Studio Arts Report

17
SVA crest
School of Visual Arts
New York, New York

School of Visual Arts did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #17. SVA is a small private for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 41 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 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at SVA

18
Moore College crest
Moore College of Art and Design
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Moore College of Art and Design landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 5 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. 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.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Moore College of Art and Design

19
Otis College of Art and Design crest
Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles, California

Otis College of Art and Design came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s fine arts degrees to 12 students 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 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 & Studio Arts at Otis College of Art and Design

20

Minneapolis 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 #20. MCAD is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 15 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 0.9% 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%.

Full Minneapolis College of Art and Design Fine & Studio Arts Report

21
Pratt Institute crest
Pratt Institute - Main
Brooklyn, New York

With a ranking of #21, Pratt Institute - Main did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Pratt Institute - Main is a private not-for-profit institution located in Brooklyn, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 40 masters’s 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%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Pratt Institute

22

Maryland Institute College of Art did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #22. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s fine arts degrees to 29 students in 2021-2022.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at MICA

23
Bard crest
Bard College
Annandale-On-Hudson, New York

Bard College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Bard is located in Annandale-On-Hudson, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 24 masters’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.

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 0.6%, 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 87%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Bard College

24
25
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

Academy of Art University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Academy of Art University is a private for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 58 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full Academy of Art University Fine & Studio Arts Report

Rest of the Best 43 in Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

Not only did these schools make the top 43 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Fontbonne University crest
Fontbonne University
Saint Louis, MO
28
29
30
31
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, MA
32
33
34
Lesley crest
Lesley University
Cambridge, MA
35
36
37
Goucher crest
Goucher College
Baltimore, MD
38
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, NY
39
40
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, CT
41
42
New School University crest
The New School
New York, NY
43

Notes and References

References

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