by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 25 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for visual & performing arts students pursuing a master's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 2,430 master's degrees in visual & performing arts to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Your choice of visual & performing arts for getting your master's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality visual & performing arts program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your master's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for visual & performing arts students working on their master's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Visual & Performing Arts Master's Degree Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in visual & performing arts.
University of Southern California is a great option for individuals pursuing a master's degree in visual & performing arts. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles.More information about a master’s in visual & performing arts from University of Southern California
Chapman University is a wonderful option for students interested in a master's degree in visual & performing arts. Chapman is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Orange.More information about a master’s in visual & performing arts from Chapman University
It's difficult to beat San Francisco Conservatory of Music if you want to pursue a master's degree in visual & performing arts. SFCM is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of San Francisco.More information about a master’s in visual & performing arts from San Francisco Conservatory of Music
It's hard to beat University of California - Los Angeles if you want to pursue a master's degree in visual & performing arts. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in visual & performing arts from University of California - Los Angeles
UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley.More information about a master’s in visual & performing arts from University of California - Berkeley
Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in visual & performing arts from University of California - Davis
UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the city of La Jolla.More information about a master’s in visual & performing arts from University of California - San Diego
California College of the Arts is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large city of San Francisco.More information about a master’s in visual & performing arts from California College of the Arts
Loyola Marymount is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles.More information about a master’s in visual & performing arts from Loyola Marymount University
UC Irvine is a very large public university located in the city of Irvine.More information about a master’s in visual & performing arts from University of California - Irvine
Explore all the Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 31 | 109 |
| Oregon | 29 | 157 |
| Hawaii | 27 | 23 |
| Nevada | 27 | 45 |
| Alaska | 21 | 3 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 877 |
| Music | 570 |
| Fine & Studio Arts | 364 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 272 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 186 |
| Arts & Media Management | 55 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 54 |
| Dance | 45 |
| Other Visual Art | 7 |
