2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Illinois
Finding the Best Visual & Performing Arts School for You
In 2020-2021, visual and performing arts students earned 5,502 degrees and certificates from an Illinois school, making the subject the 10th in the state.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right 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 Illinois ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 19 schools in Illinois to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Illinois
The following schools top our list of the Best Visual & Performing Arts Colleges.
Top 10 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Northwestern University the best school in Illinois for visual and performing arts students. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.
The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at Northwestern take out is $17,079. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $431.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Wheaton College Illinois. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Illinois list. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wheaton.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from Wheaton College Illinois carry an average student debtload of $25,153.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Illinois list. Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public college with a very large student population.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from UIUC carry an average student debtload of $22,130. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $557.
Full Visual & Performing Arts at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Report
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Illinois State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Illinois list. Illinois State is a very large public school located in the medium-sized suburb of Normal.
On average, visual and performing arts graduates from Illinois State take out $22,358 in student loans while working on their degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $303, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Visual & Performing Arts at Illinois State University Report
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Out of the 19 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, North Central College landed the # 5 spot on the list. North Central is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Naperville.
The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at North Central take out is $25,710.
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Illinois Wesleyan University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best visual and performing arts programs. Illinois Wesleyan is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bloomington.
The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at Illinois Wesleyan take out is $27,000.
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Bradley University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best visual and performing arts programs. Located in the medium-sized city of Peoria, Bradley is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.
On average, visual and performing arts graduates from Bradley take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Visual & Performing Arts at Bradley University Report
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With a ranking of #8, Millikin University did quite well on this year’s best schools for visual and performing arts students. Located in the city of Decatur, Millikin is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from Millikin carry an average student debtload of $26,907. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $430.
Full Visual & Performing Arts at Millikin University Report
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With a ranking of #9, Northern Illinois University did quite well on this year’s best schools for visual and performing arts students. NIU is a large public school located in the suburb of Dekalb.
While working on their degree, visual and performing arts majors at NIU accumulate an average of around $25,667 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $336.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Northern Illinois University
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Western Illinois University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best visual and performing arts programs. Located in the town of Macomb, WIU is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from WIU carry an average student debtload of $30,384.
Request InformationBest Visual & Performing Arts Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
Explore all the Best Visual & Performing Arts Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Indiana | 2,306 |
| Michigan | 3,433 |
| Ohio | 4,641 |
| Wisconsin | 2,248 |
More Visual & Performing Arts Rankings in Illinois
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 |
Majors Similar to Visual & Performing Arts
| 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 19 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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