2026 Best General Visual Performing Arts Doctoral Degree Schools
Looking for the best General Visual Performing Arts doctoral degree programs in the United States? This list ranks 561 institutions by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. The rankings below weigh factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and admissions selectivity.
So you can compare your options, Course Advisor evaluated schools to compile this 2026 ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 General Visual Performing Arts Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States
Here are the top-ranked schools:
Leading the list is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, our #1 General Visual Performing Arts school in the United States. This private not-for-profit school is set in Troy, NY. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates 84% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $64,078. The median General Visual Performing Arts program debt is $24,975. Get the full Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute report
Texas Tech University came in at #2 on this year's General Visual Performing Arts ranking in the United States. Based in Lubbock, TX, Texas Tech University is a public institution. About 69% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $11,852, while out-of-state students pay about $24,157. Typical General Visual Performing Arts student debt is $24,271. See the full Texas Tech University profile
The strong General Visual Performing Arts programs at The University Of Texas At Dallas earned it the #3 place in the United States. Set in Richardson, TX, The University Of Texas At Dallas is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 76%. In-state tuition and fees run about $14,644, while out-of-state students pay about $40,144. Typical General Visual Performing Arts student debt is $21,196. More on The University Of Texas At Dallas
University Of California San Diego came in at #4 on this year's General Visual Performing Arts ranking in the United States. Based in La Jolla, CA, University Of California San Diego is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 86%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,788, compared with $47,676 for out-of-state students. Typical General Visual Performing Arts student debt is $15,000. Read the full report on University Of California San Diego
Out of the 561 schools in the United States in this year's ranking, Ohio University Main Campus landed the #5 spot. Located in Athens, OH, Ohio University Main Campus is a public institution. Ohio University Main Campus graduates 65% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $14,158 in tuition and fees, compared with $24,838 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,546 to complete their General Visual Performing Arts program here. Get the full Ohio University Main Campus report
Merced College landed the #6 spot in the United States this year. Get the full Merced College report
Albright College landed the #7 spot in the United States this year. Read more about Albright College
Eastern University placed #8 among General Visual Performing Arts schools in the United States. More on Eastern University
Milligan College came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Read more about Milligan College
Mount Marty College ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best General Visual Performing Arts schools. Get the full Mount Marty College report
Worcester State University came in at #11 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on Worcester State University
College Of The Holy Cross placed #12 among General Visual Performing Arts schools in the United States. See the full College Of The Holy Cross profile
Cuyamaca College
Cuyamaca College landed the #13 spot in the United States this year. More on Cuyamaca College
Millsaps College
Millsaps College ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best General Visual Performing Arts schools. Get the full Millsaps College report
Saint Peters College placed #15 among General Visual Performing Arts schools in the United States. More on Saint Peters College
University Of Arkansas At Little Rock came in at #16 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on University Of Arkansas At Little Rock
Escuela De Artes Plasticas De Puerto Rico landed the #17 spot in the United States this year. Read the full report on Escuela De Artes Plasticas De Puerto Rico
Gateway Community College Phoenix did well this year, earning the #18 position. More on Gateway Community College Phoenix
University Of Dubuque ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best General Visual Performing Arts schools. Read the full report on University Of Dubuque
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor placed #20 among General Visual Performing Arts schools in the United States. More on University Of Michigan Ann Arbor
University Of Rio Grande placed #21 among General Visual Performing Arts schools in the United States. Get the full University Of Rio Grande report
New Mexico State University Main Campus came in at #22 in this year's ranking. See the full New Mexico State University Main Campus profile
University Of Pittsburgh Bradford ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the best General Visual Performing Arts schools. Get the full University Of Pittsburgh Bradford report
Carthage College
Carthage College landed the #24 spot in the United States this year. Read the full report on Carthage College
State University Of New York At New Paltz landed the #25 spot in the United States this year. Read the full report on State University Of New York At New Paltz
Rest of the Top 50 Best General Visual Performing Arts Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States
These schools also placed among the very best this year:
Los Medanos College came in at #26 in this year's ranking. Get the full Los Medanos College report
American International College placed #27 among General Visual Performing Arts schools in the United States. See the full American International College profile
Beloit College
Beloit College came in at #28 in this year's ranking. Read more about Beloit College
Coconino Community College came in at #29 in this year's ranking. Get the full Coconino Community College report
Wilson College
Wilson College placed #30 among General Visual Performing Arts schools in the United States. More on Wilson College
Bennett College For Women placed #31 among General Visual Performing Arts schools in the United States. Read more about Bennett College For Women
Tarleton State University came in at #32 in this year's ranking. More on Tarleton State University
Chaffey College
Chaffey College landed the #33 spot in the United States this year. See the full Chaffey College profile
Diablo Valley College did well this year, earning the #34 position. Read the full report on Diablo Valley College
Eastern Washington University did well this year, earning the #35 position. See the full Eastern Washington University profile
Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania ranked #36 on our 2026 list of the best General Visual Performing Arts schools. Read the full report on Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania
Marshall University did well this year, earning the #37 position. See the full Marshall University profile
Santa Fe Community College came in at #38 in this year's ranking. More on Santa Fe Community College
Corning Community College came in at #39 in this year's ranking. Get the full Corning Community College report
Cumberland University did well this year, earning the #40 position. More on Cumberland University
Drexel University placed #41 among General Visual Performing Arts schools in the United States. See the full Drexel University profile
Minneapolis College Of Art And Design ranked #42 on our 2026 list of the best General Visual Performing Arts schools. Read the full report on Minneapolis College Of Art And Design
Moraine Valley Community College did well this year, earning the #43 position. Read more about Moraine Valley Community College
Alpena Community College ranked #44 on our 2026 list of the best General Visual Performing Arts schools. Read the full report on Alpena Community College
Antelope Valley College landed the #45 spot in the United States this year. Read the full report on Antelope Valley College
University Of Maryland Baltimore County landed the #46 spot in the United States this year. See the full University Of Maryland Baltimore County profile
Oakland University ranked #47 on our 2026 list of the best General Visual Performing Arts schools. Read the full report on Oakland University
University Of Pittsburgh Greensburg ranked #48 on our 2026 list of the best General Visual Performing Arts schools. Get the full University Of Pittsburgh Greensburg report
Canada College
Canada College did well this year, earning the #49 position. Read the full report on Canada College
Florida Southern College did well this year, earning the #50 position. Read more about Florida Southern College
Related General Visual Performing Arts Rankings
Compare rankings at other degree levels:
- Best General Visual Performing Arts Schools (All Levels)
- Best General Visual Performing Arts Certificate Degree Schools
- Best General Visual Performing Arts Undergraduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best General Visual Performing Arts Associate’s Degree Schools
- Best General Visual Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools
- Best General Visual Performing Arts Graduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best General Visual Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools
Ranking Methodology & Notes
The ranking above is published by Course Advisor (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and admissions data drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: Dms College Quality · Scope: Nation. *Averages shown above reflect the top 561 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).
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