2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree 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.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. Our analysis looked at 12 schools in California to see which associate degree programs offered the best value experiences for visual and performing arts students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 10 Best Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Los Angeles Trade Technical College the best value school in California for visual and performing arts students working on their associate degree. Los Angeles Trade Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the large city of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Trade Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $1,238 in in-state tuition and fees each year.
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The excellent associate degree programs at San Diego Mesa College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value visual and performing arts schools in California. Located in the large city of San Diego, San Diego Mesa College is a public school with a large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at San Diego Mesa College are $1,144 per year.
Full Visual & Performing Arts at San Diego Mesa College Report
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Platt College - San Diego. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California list. Located in the large city of San Diego, Platt College - San Diego is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
Platt College - San Diego undergraduate students pay an average of $16,378 in in-state tuition and fees each year.
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Interior Designers Institute is a great value for visual and performing arts students working on their associate degree. Located in the city of Newport Beach, Interior Designers Institute is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Interior Designers Institute are $20,250 a year.
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The excellent associate degree programs at Academy of Art University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value visual and performing arts schools in California. Academy of Art University is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the large city of San Francisco.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Academy of Art University are $25,424 per year.
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Columbia College Hollywood did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for visual and performing arts students to get a associate degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Columbia College Hollywood is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tarzana.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Columbia College Hollywood are $26,175 a year.
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FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for visual and performing arts students to get a associate degree. It came in at #8 on the list. FIDM Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Los Angeles.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at FIDM Los Angeles are $32,645 per year.
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American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles are $37,230 per year.
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SAE Expression College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree visual and performing arts programs. SAE Expression College is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Emeryville.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at SAE Expression College are $25,672 a year.
Request InformationBest Value Visual & Performing Arts Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Colleges 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
Visual & Performing Arts Related Majors for 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 12 schools only.
- 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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