2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in California
Finding the Best Visual & Performing Arts 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.
The Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 55 schools in California to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in California
The colleges and universities below are the best for visual and performing arts majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools
Our 2023 rankings named University of California - Berkeley the best school in California for visual and performing arts students. Located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public college with a very large student population.
The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at UC Berkeley take out is $16,924.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of California - Berkeley
Out of the 55 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, National University landed the # 2 spot on the list. National University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of La Jolla.
The excellent programs at San Jose State University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best visual and performing arts schools in California. Located in the city of San Jose, San Jose State is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The excellent programs at Mount Saint Mary’s University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best visual and performing arts schools in California. MSMU is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Loyola Marymount University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in California list. Loyola Marymount is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.
Visual & Performing Arts majors at Loyola Marymount take out an average of $22,932 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $983, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Visual & Performing Arts at Loyola Marymount University Report
University of Southern California came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in California ranking. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Los Angeles.
Visual & Performing Arts majors at USC take out an average of $20,385 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $562, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Visual & Performing Arts at University of Southern California Report
University of California - Irvine came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in California ranking. Located in the city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public college with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from UC Irvine carry an average student debtload of $17,754. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $250.
Full Visual & Performing Arts at University of California - Irvine Report
University of California - Davis did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for visual and performing arts students. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public college with a very large student population.
Visual & Performing Arts majors at UC Davis take out an average of $15,158 in student loans while working on their egree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $319.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of California - Davis
University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best visual and performing arts programs. Located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Visual & Performing Arts majors at UCSB take out an average of $17,632 in student loans while working on their egree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $259.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of California - Santa Barbara
Chapman University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for visual and performing arts students. It came in at #10 on the list. Chapman is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Orange.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from Chapman carry an average student debtload of $22,560. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $487.
Best 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 25 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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