2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California
Finding the Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree School for You
Visual & Performing Arts is one of the most popular subjects to study in California. With 22,397 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, it ranked 10th out of all the majors we track in the state.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. This report analyzed 12 schools in California to see which ones offered the best associate degree programs for students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California
The colleges and universities below are the best for visual and performing arts majors pursuing a associate degree.
Top 10 Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Interior Designers Institute the best school in California for visual and performing arts students working on their associate degree. Located in the city of Newport Beach, Interior Designers Institute is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
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The excellent associate degree programs at Academy of Art University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best visual and performing arts schools in California. Academy of Art University is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the large city of San Francisco.
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The excellent associate degree programs at FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best visual and performing arts schools in California. FIDM Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.
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Out of the 12 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Platt College - San Diego landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the large city of San Diego, Platt College - San Diego is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
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American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. Located in the city of Los Angeles, American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
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Columbia College Hollywood did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for visual and performing arts students to get a associate degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Columbia College Hollywood is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tarzana.
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Los Angeles Trade Technical College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California list. Los Angeles Trade Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Los Angeles.
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San Diego Mesa College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for visual and performing arts students to get a associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the city of San Diego, San Diego Mesa College is a public college with a fairly large student population.
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SAE Expression College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree visual and performing arts programs. SAE Expression College is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Emeryville.
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Request InformationBest Visual & Performing Arts Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 1,718 |
| Oregon | 1,672 |
| Hawaii | 196 |
| Nevada | 554 |
| Alaska | 60 |
More Visual & Performing Arts Rankings in California
Rankings in Majors Related to Visual & Performing Arts
Visual & Performing Arts Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 37,413 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 36,301 |
| Music | 25,910 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 17,341 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 16,778 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 6,355 |
| Arts & Media Management | 4,788 |
| Dance | 3,288 |
| Other Visual Art | 912 |
| Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry | 119 |
| Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art | 10 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities | 556,813 |
| English Language & Literature | 54,635 |
| Foreign Languages & Linguistics | 33,333 |
| Theology & Religious Vocations | 27,459 |
| Philosophy & Religious Studies | 19,993 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 12 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Bonnielou2013.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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