by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Visual & Performing Arts is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 10th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 149,215 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, visual and performing arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $26,700 and had an average of $25,051 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 24,145 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,013 and $24,403 respectively.
For this year’s “Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California” ranking, we looked at 227 colleges that offer a degree in visual and performing arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular visual and performing arts programs in the United States.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Los Angeles Film School. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California list. Los Angeles Film School is located in Hollywood, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,222 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Los Angeles Film School
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Long Beach. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California list. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 1,012 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at California State University - Long Beach
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern California. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 1,000 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, 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 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%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of Southern California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fullerton. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California list. California State University - Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 653 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Francisco State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California list. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 646 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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 San Francisco State University Visual & Performing Arts Report
With a ranking of #6, Academy of Art University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California list. Located in San Francisco, California, this medium-sized private for-profit school handed out 588 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Academy of Art University
University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #7. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 581 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.
California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #8. California State University - Northridge is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 558 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #9. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 515 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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 94%.
Full University of California - Irvine Visual & Performing Arts Report
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California list. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 508 students in 2020-2021.
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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of California - Santa Cruz Visual & Performing Arts Report
San Jose State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 495 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of California - Davis came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 454 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.
Full University of California - Davis Visual & Performing Arts Report
New York Film Academy came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. New York Film Academy is located in Burbank, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 595 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at New York Film Academy
University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 398 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Chapman University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. Located in Orange, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 389 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, 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 85%.
Art Center College of Design did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. Art Center College of Design is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 374 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Art Center College of Design Visual & Performing Arts Report
San Diego State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 373 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 320 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Full FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles Visual & Performing Arts Report
University of California - Riverside came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 311 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at University of California - Riverside
Loyola Marymount University ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California list. Loyola Marymount University is a fairly large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 290 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
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 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full Loyola Marymount University Visual & Performing Arts Report
University of California - Berkeley landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. UC Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 285 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at University of California - Berkeley
With a ranking of #22, California State University - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 284 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at California State University - Los Angeles
California State University - Chico landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. Chico State is located in Chico, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 276 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at California State University - Chico
With a ranking of #24, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California list. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 272 students in 2020-2021.
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%.
Santa Monica College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Visual & Performing Arts Major in California ranking. SMC is a large public school situated in Santa Monica, California. It awarded 330 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.
Not only did these schools make the top 35 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
