2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in New York
Finding the Best Visual & Performing Arts School for You
Visual & Performing Arts is one of the most popular subjects to study in New York. With 16,536 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, it ranked 7th 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. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in New York ranking. This report analyzed 67 schools in New York to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in New York
The colleges and universities below are the best for visual and performing arts majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools
Our analysis found The Graduate Center, CUNY to be the best school for visual and performing arts students who want to pursue a degree in New York. Located in the large city of New York, The Graduate Center is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
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The excellent programs at American Musical and Dramatic Academy helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best visual and performing arts schools in New York. Located in the city of New York, American Musical and Dramatic Academy is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from American Musical and Dramatic Academy carry an average student debtload of $22,000. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $938, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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The excellent programs at Skidmore College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best visual and performing arts schools in New York. Located in the suburb of Saratoga Springs, Skidmore is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from Skidmore carry an average student debtload of $26,500.
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a great place for visual and performing arts students. RPI is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Troy.
On average, visual and performing arts graduates from RPI take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Out of the 67 schools in New York that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the # 5 spot on the list. Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York.
On average, visual and performing arts graduates from Columbia take out $18,898 in student loans while working on their degree.
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New York University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in New York list. Located in the city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
While working on their degree, visual and performing arts majors at NYU accumulate an average of around $22,596 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $1,008, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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LaGuardia Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in New York ranking. Located in the large city of Long Island City, LaGuardia is a public school with a large student population.
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Vassar College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in New York ranking. Located in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Vassar is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at Vassar take out is $19,162.
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Ithaca College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best visual and performing arts programs. Ithaca is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the small suburb of Ithaca.
Visual & Performing Arts majors at Ithaca take out an average of $25,216 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $543.
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Syracuse University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in New York list. Located in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.
While working on their degree, visual and performing arts majors at Syracuse accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $680.
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Request InformationAdditional Noteworthy Schools
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in New York award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Wagner College | Staten Island, NY |
| 12 | Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester, NY |
| 13 | Binghamton University | Vestal, NY |
Best Visual & Performing Arts Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region
Explore all the Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | 2,574 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,464 |
| Maryland | 2,055 |
| Delaware | 182 |
| District of Columbia | 586 |
More Visual & Performing Arts Rankings in New York
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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