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Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California

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2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California

12 Colleges
$21,983 Avg Salary
$17,456 Avg Student Debt

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

#1

Interior Designers Institute

Newport Beach, CA

Our analysis found Interior Designers Institute to be the best school for visual and performing arts students who want to pursue a associate degree in California. Located in the small city of Newport Beach, Interior Designers Institute is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Interior Designers Institute Report

#2

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, CA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Academy of Art University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California list. Academy of Art University is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the large city of San Francisco.

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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California list. FIDM Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Los Angeles.

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#5

Platt College - San Diego

San Diego, CA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Platt College - San Diego. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California list. Located in the large city of San Diego, Platt College - San Diego is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Platt College - San Diego

American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree visual and performing arts programs. Located in the city of Los Angeles, American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

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With a ranking of #7, Columbia College Hollywood did quite well on this year’s best schools for visual and performing arts students working on their associate degree. Columbia College Hollywood is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tarzana.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Columbia College Hollywood Report

Los Angeles Trade Technical College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree visual and performing arts programs. Los Angeles Trade Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Los Angeles.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Los Angeles Trade Technical College Report

#9

San Diego Mesa College

San Diego, CA

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 school with a fairly large student population.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at San Diego Mesa College Report

#10

SAE Expression College

Emeryville, CA

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 large suburb of Emeryville.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at SAE Expression College Report

Best Visual & Performing Arts Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Visual & Performing Arts Colleges 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

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

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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