2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in North Carolina
Finding the Best Visual & Performing Arts School for You
In 2020-2021, 3,215 degrees and certificates were awarded to visual and performing arts students who went to a North Carolina college or university. This makes it the #13 most popular major in the state.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right 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 North Carolina ranking. Our analysis looked at 21 schools in North Carolina to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in North Carolina
The following schools top our list of the Best Visual & Performing Arts Colleges.
Top 10 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools
Our analysis found Duke University to be the best school for visual and performing arts students who want to pursue a degree in North Carolina. Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
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Out of the 21 schools in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina School of the Arts landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the medium-sized city of Winston-Salem, UNCSA is a public college with a small student population.
On average, visual and performing arts graduates from UNCSA take out $26,169 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $444.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a great place for visual and performing arts students. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill is a public school with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from UNC Chapel Hill carry an average student debtload of $17,919.
Full Visual & Performing Arts at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Report
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The excellent programs at North Carolina State University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best visual and performing arts schools in North Carolina. Located in the city of Raleigh, NC State is a public school with a very large student population.
The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at NC State take out is $23,695.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in North Carolina list. Located in the large city of Charlotte, UNC Charlotte is a public school with a very large student population.
While working on their degree, visual and performing arts majors at UNC Charlotte accumulate an average of around $26,594 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $165, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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High Point University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in North Carolina list. High Point is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of High Point.
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With a ranking of #7, Appalachian State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for visual and performing arts students. Appalachian State is a very large public school located in the distant town of Boone.
The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at Appalachian State take out is $24,534. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $299, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #8, East Carolina University did quite well on this year’s best schools for visual and performing arts students. ECU is a very large public school located in the small city of Greenville.
On average, visual and performing arts graduates from ECU take out $26,400 in student loans while working on their degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $228, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Meredith College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in North Carolina ranking. Located in the city of Raleigh, Meredith is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from Meredith carry an average student debtload of $25,000.
Full Visual & Performing Arts at Meredith College Report
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University of North Carolina at Greensboro ranked #10 on this year’s Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in North Carolina list. Located in the city of Greensboro, UNC Greensboro is a public school with a large student population.
On average, visual and performing arts graduates from UNC Greensboro take out $25,042 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $158.
Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Request InformationBest Visual & Performing Arts Colleges in the Southeast Region
Explore all the Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | 405 |
| Mississippi | 696 |
| South Carolina | 1,360 |
| Florida | 7,291 |
| Virginia | 3,471 |
| Arkansas | 830 |
| Alabama | 1,142 |
| Kentucky | 1,067 |
| Georgia | 4,322 |
| Tennessee | 2,629 |
| Louisiana | 1,147 |
More Visual & Performing Arts Rankings in North Carolina
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 21 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.