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by our College Data Analytics Team
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 Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2021-2022, 150,273 visual & performing arts students received their degree, making the major the 10th most popular in the country. In , visual & performing arts graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $26,820 and had an average of $26,756 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major” ranking looked at 2,118 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in visual & performing arts. That schools that top this list have a program in visual & performing arts in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Jazz Conservatory. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Located in Berkeley, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified ’s visual & performing arts students in 2021-2022.
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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full California Jazz Conservatory Visual & Performing Arts Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Compass College of Cinematic Arts. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Compass College of Cinematic Arts is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 18 ’s visual & performing arts degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Compass College of Cinematic Arts
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cornish College of the Arts. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major. Cornish College of the Arts is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 112 ’s visual & performing arts 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 Visual & Performing Arts at Cornish College of the Arts
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pennsylvania College of Art and Design. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 44 degrees to qualified ’s visual & performing arts students in 2021-2022.
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%. 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 Visual & Performing Arts at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Theatre of Arts. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. This small school is located in Hollywood, California, and it awarded 4 ’s visual & performing arts degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Theatre of Arts
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Design Institute of San Diego. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major. Located in San Diego, California, this small private for-profit school awarded 30 degrees to qualified ’s visual & performing arts students 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 Visual & Performing Arts at Design Institute of San Diego
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY is located in New York, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 107 ’s visual & performing arts degrees to qualified students.
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 Visual & Performing Arts at Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY
Out of the 2,118 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwest College of Art & Design landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwest College of Art & Design is a small private for-profit school situated in Tacoma, Washington. It awarded 19 ’s visual & performing arts degrees in 2021-2022.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Northwest College of Art & Design
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The Modern College of Design. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major. Located in Kettering, Ohio, this small private for-profit school handed out 54 diplomas to qualified ’s visual & performing arts students 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 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full The Modern College of Design Visual & Performing Arts Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major. KD Conservatory is located in Dallas, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 59 ’s visual & performing arts degrees to qualified students.
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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts Visual & Performing Arts Report
Out of the 2,118 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Hussian College-Relativity Campus California landed the #1 spot on the list. Hussian College-Relativity Campus California is a private for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 51 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
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 Hussian College-Relativity Campus California Visual & Performing Arts Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major. Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre is located in Blue Lake, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 ’s visual & performing arts degrees to qualified students.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Dell’Arte International
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 104 ’s visual & performing arts degrees 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%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts
With a ranking of #16, Nossi College of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s visual & performing arts degrees to 45 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, 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 Visual & Performing Arts at Nossi College of Art
Los Angeles College of Music did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking, coming in at #17. LACM is a small private for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 42 ’s visual & performing 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.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Los Angeles College of Music
Los Angeles Film School came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking. Los Angeles Film School is a medium-sized private for-profit school situated in Hollywood, California. It awarded 1,050 ’s visual & performing arts degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #19, American Academy of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major list. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 37 ’s visual & performing arts degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%.
Platt College - San Diego came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s visual & performing arts degrees to 68 students in 2021-2022.
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 Platt College - San Diego
University of North Carolina School of the Arts did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking, coming in at #21. UNCSA is located in Winston Salem, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 276 ’s visual & performing arts degrees to qualified students.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 1.2%, 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.
Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking, coming in at #22. EAPD is a public institution located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The school has a small population, and it awarded 54 ’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.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico
American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 106 ’s visual & performing arts degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles
The Juilliard School did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking, coming in at #24. Juilliard is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 316 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.
Otis College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major ranking, coming in at #25. Otis College of Art and Design is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 261 ’s degrees 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 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%.
Full Otis College of Art and Design Visual & Performing Arts Report
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | College for Creative Studies | Detroit, MI |
| 52 | Longy School of Music of Bard College | Cambridge, MA |
| 53 | Kansas City Art Institute | Kansas City, MO |
| 54 | Columbia College Hollywood | Tarzana, CA |
| 55 | Maine Media College | Rockport, ME |
| 56 | Montserrat College of Art | Beverly, MA |
| 57 | New York Film Academy | Burbank, CA |
| 58 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design | Minneapolis, MN |
| 59 | Delaware College of Art and Design | Wilmington, DE |
| 60 | Hussian College | Philadelphia, PA |
| 61 | Art Center College of Design | Pasadena, CA |
| 62 | The North Coast College | Lakewood, OH |
| 63 | Curtis Institute of Music | Philadelphia, PA |
| 64 | Columbia College Chicago | Chicago, IL |
| 65 | Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design | Lakewood, CO |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 116 | Villa Maria College | Buffalo, NY |
| 117 | Hollins University | Roanoke, VA |
| 118 | Colegio de Cinematografía Artes y Television | Bayamon, PR |
| 119 | Dean College | Franklin, MA |
| 120 | Oberlin College | Oberlin, OH |
| 121 | Muhlenberg College | Allentown, PA |
| 122 | Millikin University | Decatur, IL |
| 123 | SAE Expression College | Emeryville, CA |
| 124 | Newschool of Architecture and Design | San Diego, CA |
| 125 | Pacific Rim Christian University | Honolulu, HI |
| 126 | Bloomfield College | Bloomfield, NJ |
| 127 | University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma | Chickasha, OK |
| 128 | Ithaca College | Ithaca, NY |
| 129 | Principia College | Elsah, IL |
| 130 | Point Park University | Pittsburgh, PA |
| 131 | SUNY Fredonia | Fredonia, NY |
| 132 | William Peace University | Raleigh, NC |
| 133 | Cazenovia College | Cazenovia, NY |
| 134 | Mills College | Oakland, CA |
| 135 | The Baptist College of Florida | Graceville, FL |
| 136 | Pine Manor College | Chestnut Hill, MA |
| 137 | Loyola University New Orleans | New Orleans, LA |
| 138 | Albright College | Reading, PA |
| 139 | Alfred University | Alfred, NY |
| 140 | Luther College | Decorah, IA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 141 | University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT |
| 142 | Dillard University | New Orleans, LA |
| 143 | Wagner College | Staten Island, NY |
| 144 | University of North Carolina at Asheville | Asheville, NC |
| 145 | Chapman University | Orange, CA |
| 146 | Lesley University | Cambridge, MA |
| 147 | SAE Institute - Nashville | Nashville, TN |
| 148 | Southern Oregon University | Ashland, OR |
| 149 | Baldwin Wallace University | Berea, OH |
| 150 | SUNY Potsdam | Potsdam, NY |
| 151 | Southern Virginia University | Buena Vista, VA |
| 152 | St Olaf College | Northfield, MN |
| 153 | Brevard College | Brevard, NC |
| 154 | Wesleyan University | Middletown, CT |
| 155 | SAE Institute - Atlanta | Atlanta, GA |
| 156 | Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY |
| 157 | Wheaton College Massachusetts | Norton, MA |
| 158 | University of Montevallo | Montevallo, AL |
| 159 | EDP University - San Juan | San Juan, PR |
| 160 | Bethesda University | Anaheim, CA |
| 161 | Bethany Lutheran College | Mankato, MN |
| 162 | Bob Jones University | Greenville, SC |
| 163 | SUNY Oneonta | Oneonta, NY |
| 164 | Visible Music College | Memphis, TN |
| 165 | Northwest College | Powell, WY |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 191 | Mary Baldwin University | Staunton, VA |
| 192 | Cornell College | Mount Vernon, IA |
| 193 | Maryville College | Maryville, TN |
| 194 | California State University - Long Beach | Long Beach, CA |
| 195 | Drew University | Madison, NJ |
| 196 | Baptist University of the Americas | San Antonio, TX |
| 196 | Converse College | Spartanburg, SC |
| 198 | Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR |
| 199 | Rider University | Lawrenceville, NJ |
| 200 | Messiah University | Mechanicsburg, PA |
| 201 | Living Arts College | Raleigh, NC |
| 202 | Winthrop University | Rock Hill, SC |
| 203 | Edinboro University of Pennsylvania | Edinboro, PA |
| 204 | Pace University - New York | New York, NY |
| 205 | Kenyon College | Gambier, OH |
| 206 | Bethel College - North Newton | North Newton, KS |
| 207 | Asbury University | Wilmore, KY |
| 208 | Flagler College - St Augustine | Saint Augustine, FL |
| 209 | LaGrange College | Lagrange, GA |
| 210 | Taylor University | Upland, IN |
| 211 | Clark Atlanta University | Atlanta, GA |
| 212 | Williams College | Williamstown, MA |
| 213 | Young Harris College | Young Harris, GA |
| 214 | Catawba College | Salisbury, NC |
| 215 | Keene State College | Keene, NH |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 240 | Greenville University | Greenville, IL |
| 242 | Snow College | Ephraim, UT |
| 243 | Connecticut College | New London, CT |
| 244 | SUNY New Paltz | New Paltz, NY |
| 245 | Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, VA |
| 246 | Rollins College | Winter Park, FL |
| 247 | Mars Hill University | Mars Hill, NC |
| 248 | Knox College | Galesburg, IL |
| 249 | Earlham College | Richmond, IN |
| 250 | Southwestern University | Georgetown, TX |
| 250 | Oglethorpe University | Atlanta, GA |
| 250 | Los Angeles Pacific College | Los Angeles, CA |
| 253 | Meredith College | Raleigh, NC |
| 254 | SAE Institute - Chicago | Chicago, IL |
| 255 | Goshen College | Goshen, IN |
| 256 | Carthage College | Kenosha, WI |
| 257 | Covenant College | Lookout Mountain, GA |
| 258 | Southwestern Michigan College | Dowagiac, MI |
| 259 | The City College of New York | New York, NY |
| 260 | Hamilton College | Clinton, NY |
| 261 | Champlain College | Burlington, VT |
| 262 | Hastings College | Hastings, NE |
| 263 | Stephen F Austin State University | Nacogdoches, TX |
| 264 | University of North Texas | Denton, TX |
| 265 | Centenary University | Hackettstown, NJ |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 316 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | Millersville, PA |
| 317 | Walla Walla University | College Place, WA |
| 318 | Fontbonne University | Saint Louis, MO |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
