2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Iowa
Finding the Best Visual & Performing Arts School for You
With 1,309 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, visual and performing arts is the #12 most popular major in Iowa.
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. 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.
The Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Iowa ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 7 schools in Iowa to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Iowa
The colleges and universities below are the best for visual and performing arts majors pursuing a .
Top Iowa Schools in Visual & Performing Arts
Our 2023 rankings named Luther College the best school in Iowa for visual and performing arts students. Luther is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Decorah.
After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from Luther carry an average student debtload of $27,000.
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Out of the 7 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Drake University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the midsize city of Des Moines, Drake is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
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Out of the 7 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the small city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public school with a fairly large student population.
The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at Iowa take out is $25,006. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $309, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Out of the 7 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Iowa State is a very large public school located in the small city of Ames.
The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at Iowa State take out is $27,000. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $262, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means University of Northern Iowa is a great place for visual and performing arts students. Located in the small city of Cedar Falls, UNI is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
On average, visual and performing arts graduates from UNI take out $22,883 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Coe College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Iowa list. Coe is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Cedar Rapids.
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Des Moines Area Community College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best visual and performing arts programs. Located in the suburb of Ankeny, DMACC is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Visual & Performing Arts majors at DMACC take out an average of $14,167 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Request InformationBest Visual & Performing Arts Colleges in the Plains States Region
Explore all the Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Kansas | 920 |
| Minnesota | 1,711 |
| South Dakota | 188 |
| Missouri | 1,911 |
| Nebraska | 727 |
| North Dakota | 160 |
More Visual & Performing Arts Rankings in Iowa
Visual & Performing Arts Related Rankings by Major
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 7 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.