Spike Rankings 2027
Best Colleges for the Arts in America
Strong colleges that graduate at least 25 students a year in Arts. How Spike ranks
How this list is ranked.
The Best Colleges score 75%, the size of the arts program 25%.
196 colleges qualify from Spike’s guide of 233. At least 25 bachelor’s degrees a year in the field. Colleges without enough reported data are left out.
Guide updated . Data snapshot: . Sources and data years.
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196 colleges
Number 1: University of California-Berkeley- 319 grads a year in the field
- 93% graduate
- $100k after 10 years
Number 2: University of California-Los Angeles- 408 grads a year in the field
- 93% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
Number 3: University of California-Irvine- 461 grads a year in the field
- 87% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
Number 4: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor- 450 grads a year in the field
- 93% graduate
- $93k after 10 years
Number 5: Columbia University in the City of New York- 137 grads a year in the field
- 96% graduate
- $109k after 10 years
Number 6: Yale University- 82 grads a year in the field
- 96% graduate
- $118k after 10 years
Number 7: University of Southern California- 657 grads a year in the field
- 91% graduate
- $103k after 10 years
Number 8: University of California-Davis- 426 grads a year in the field
- 86% graduate
- $87k after 10 years
Number 9: University of Florida- 342 grads a year in the field
- 92% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
Number 10: Fashion Institute of Technology- 711 grads a year in the field
- 81% graduate
- $72k after 10 years
Number 11: Northwestern University- 182 grads a year in the field
- 96% graduate
- $104k after 10 years
Number 12: University of California-San Diego- 226 grads a year in the field
- 86% graduate
- $96k after 10 years
Number 13: Harvard University- 55 grads a year in the field
- 97% graduate
- $122k after 10 years
Number 14: University of California-Santa Barbara- 382 grads a year in the field
- 83% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
Number 15: The University of Texas at Austin- 390 grads a year in the field
- 89% graduate
- $82k after 10 years
Number 16: University of Maryland-College Park- 177 grads a year in the field
- 88% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
Number 17: University of Pennsylvania- 78 grads a year in the field
- 97% graduate
- $122k after 10 years
Number 18: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign- 218 grads a year in the field
- 86% graduate
- $88k after 10 years
Number 19: San Jose State University- 515 grads a year in the field
- 68% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
Number 20: Johns Hopkins University- 98 grads a year in the field
- 94% graduate
- $105k after 10 years
Number 21: Carnegie Mellon University- 153 grads a year in the field
- 94% graduate
- $125k after 10 years
Number 22: Vanderbilt University- 98 grads a year in the field
- 93% graduate
- $99k after 10 years
Number 23: California State University-Fullerton- 605 grads a year in the field
- 69% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
Number 24: Washington University in St Louis- 145 grads a year in the field
- 94% graduate
- $91k after 10 years
Number 25: University of Washington-Seattle Campus- 304 grads a year in the field
- 85% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
Number 26: Dartmouth College- 63 grads a year in the field
- 95% graduate
- $111k after 10 years
Number 27: University of Notre Dame- 115 grads a year in the field
- 95% graduate
- $113k after 10 years
Number 28: University of Chicago- 71 grads a year in the field
- 95% graduate
- $104k after 10 years
Number 29: Florida State University- 384 grads a year in the field
- 86% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
Number 30: Stanford University- 38 grads a year in the field
- 92% graduate
- $125k after 10 years
Number 31: Rutgers University-New Brunswick- 239 grads a year in the field
- 84% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
Number 32: University of Virginia-Main Campus- 89 grads a year in the field
- 95% graduate
- $96k after 10 years
Number 33: Ohio State University-Main Campus- 240 grads a year in the field
- 87% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
Number 34: California State University-Long Beach- 987 grads a year in the field
- 70% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
Number 35: New York University- 1,200 grads a year in the field
- 88% graduate
- $91k after 10 years
Number 36: Brown University- 102 grads a year in the field
- 96% graduate
- $100k after 10 years
Number 37: University of Georgia- 225 grads a year in the field
- 89% graduate
- $77k after 10 years
Number 38: The University of Texas at Dallas- 353 grads a year in the field
- 77% graduate
- $75k after 10 years
Number 39: Emory University- 110 grads a year in the field
- 91% graduate
- $94k after 10 years
Number 40: University of California-Riverside- 265 grads a year in the field
- 76% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
Number 41: Drexel University- 320 grads a year in the field
- 78% graduate
- $92k after 10 years
Number 42: Rice University- 47 grads a year in the field
- 95% graduate
- $91k after 10 years
Number 43: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill- 110 grads a year in the field
- 91% graduate
- $81k after 10 years
Number 44: University of Wisconsin-Madison- 162 grads a year in the field
- 90% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
Number 45: Duke University- 41 grads a year in the field
- 96% graduate
- $114k after 10 years
Number 46: University of Central Florida- 1,035 grads a year in the field
- 78% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
Number 47: George Mason University- 296 grads a year in the field
- 67% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
Number 48: Indiana University-Bloomington- 350 grads a year in the field
- 80% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
Number 49: Chapman University- 372 grads a year in the field
- 82% graduate
- $81k after 10 years
Number 50: Michigan State University- 258 grads a year in the field
- 81% graduate
- $74k after 10 years
Number 51: Florida International University- 218 grads a year in the field
- 76% graduate
- $66k after 10 years
Number 52: Cornell University- 53 grads a year in the field
- 95% graduate
- $114k after 10 years
Number 53: California State University-Northridge- 467 grads a year in the field
- 57% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
Number 54: University of Rochester- 174 grads a year in the field
- 84% graduate
- $88k after 10 years
Number 55: Tufts University- 154 grads a year in the field
- 94% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
Number 56: San Diego State University- 358 grads a year in the field
- 77% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
Number 57: San Francisco State University- 549 grads a year in the field
- 50% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
Number 58: Temple University- 432 grads a year in the field
- 74% graduate
- $71k after 10 years
Number 59: Arizona State University Campus Immersion- 684 grads a year in the field
- 68% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
Number 60: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University- 189 grads a year in the field
- 86% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
Number 61: CUNY Hunter College- 210 grads a year in the field
- 58% graduate
- $71k after 10 years
Number 62: Art Center College of Design- 304 grads a year in the field
- 80% graduate
- $76k after 10 years
Number 63: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo- 92 grads a year in the field
- 86% graduate
- $96k after 10 years
Number 64: North Carolina State University at Raleigh- 130 grads a year in the field
- 85% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
Number 65: California State University-Sacramento- 330 grads a year in the field
- 55% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
Number 66: University of Houston- 258 grads a year in the field
- 65% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
Number 67: CUNY City College- 195 grads a year in the field
- 53% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
Number 68: California State University-Fresno- 185 grads a year in the field
- 58% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
Number 69: University of Iowa- 273 grads a year in the field
- 75% graduate
- $71k after 10 years
Number 70: CUNY Brooklyn College- 190 grads a year in the field
- 53% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
Number 71: University of Connecticut- 103 grads a year in the field
- 83% graduate
- $82k after 10 years
Number 72: James Madison University- 247 grads a year in the field
- 80% graduate
- $75k after 10 years
Number 73: Boston University- 172 grads a year in the field
- 89% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
Number 74: Virginia Commonwealth University- 599 grads a year in the field
- 64% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
Number 75: University of Oregon- 356 grads a year in the field
- 71% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
Number 76: University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus- 171 grads a year in the field
- 75% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
Number 77: Southern Methodist University- 128 grads a year in the field
- 84% graduate
- $90k after 10 years
Number 78: William & Mary- 43 grads a year in the field
- 89% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
Number 79: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art- 46 grads a year in the field
- 81% graduate
- $77k after 10 years
Number 80: Rhode Island School of Design- 278 grads a year in the field
- 90% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
Number 81: University of Miami- 208 grads a year in the field
- 84% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
Number 82: Iowa State University- 236 grads a year in the field
- 76% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
Number 83: Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus- 240 grads a year in the field
- 86% graduate
- $72k after 10 years
Number 84: Georgetown University- 31 grads a year in the field
- 95% graduate
- $111k after 10 years
Number 85: Loyola Marymount University- 313 grads a year in the field
- 79% graduate
- $86k after 10 years
Number 86: Clemson University- 145 grads a year in the field
- 87% graduate
- $79k after 10 years
Number 87: Stony Brook University- 67 grads a year in the field
- 76% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
Number 88: Boston College- 44 grads a year in the field
- 90% graduate
- $112k after 10 years
Number 89: Syracuse University- 310 grads a year in the field
- 82% graduate
- $85k after 10 years
Number 90: University of Missouri-Columbia- 159 grads a year in the field
- 76% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
Number 91: Fordham University- 168 grads a year in the field
- 81% graduate
- $93k after 10 years
Number 92: Purdue University-Main Campus- 119 grads a year in the field
- 84% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
Number 93: Belmont University- 641 grads a year in the field
- 71% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
Number 94: University of Delaware- 74 grads a year in the field
- 79% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
Number 95: University of Kentucky- 197 grads a year in the field
- 72% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
Number 96: University of South Carolina-Columbia- 231 grads a year in the field
- 79% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
Number 97: Lehigh University- 33 grads a year in the field
- 86% graduate
- $116k after 10 years
Number 98: University of Colorado Boulder- 238 grads a year in the field
- 74% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
Number 99: Illinois State University- 209 grads a year in the field
- 66% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
Number 100: Pratt Institute-Main- 536 grads a year in the field
- 74% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
Number 101: University of Cincinnati-Main Campus- 389 grads a year in the field
- 75% graduate
- $61k after 10 years
Number 102: Portland State University- 230 grads a year in the field
- 53% graduate
- $62k after 10 years
Number 103: University of Kansas- 223 grads a year in the field
- 70% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
Number 104: School of Visual Arts- 467 grads a year in the field
- 77% graduate
- $52k after 10 years
Number 105: George Washington University- 76 grads a year in the field
- 83% graduate
- $97k after 10 years
Number 106: Rochester Institute of Technology- 274 grads a year in the field
- 70% graduate
- $85k after 10 years
Number 107: University of Utah- 371 grads a year in the field
- 66% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
Number 108: Wake Forest University- 37 grads a year in the field
- 90% graduate
- $104k after 10 years
Number 109: University of the Pacific- 41 grads a year in the field
- 71% graduate
- $88k after 10 years
Number 110: Texas Christian University- 135 grads a year in the field
- 86% graduate
- $77k after 10 years
Number 111: Pepperdine University- 75 grads a year in the field
- 81% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
Number 112: Stevens Institute of Technology- 37 grads a year in the field
- 88% graduate
- $118k after 10 years
Number 113: The University of Texas at Arlington- 256 grads a year in the field
- 52% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
Number 114: College of the Holy Cross- 34 grads a year in the field
- 87% graduate
- $100k after 10 years
Number 115: University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus- 86 grads a year in the field
- 86% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
Number 116: Lawrence University- 102 grads a year in the field
- 78% graduate
- $59k after 10 years
Number 117: Lafayette College- 34 grads a year in the field
- 87% graduate
- $102k after 10 years
Number 118: Santa Clara University- 31 grads a year in the field
- 88% graduate
- $117k after 10 years
Number 119: University of Redlands- 73 grads a year in the field
- 66% graduate
- $81k after 10 years
Number 120: Case Western Reserve University- 47 grads a year in the field
- 87% graduate
- $90k after 10 years
Number 121: Marquette University- 49 grads a year in the field
- 81% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
Number 122: Texas Tech University- 197 grads a year in the field
- 69% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
Number 123: Bradley University- 74 grads a year in the field
- 75% graduate
- $76k after 10 years
Number 124: Mount Holyoke College- 68 grads a year in the field
- 83% graduate
- $66k after 10 years
Number 125: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute- 39 grads a year in the field
- 82% graduate
- $113k after 10 years
Number 126: Emerson College- 402 grads a year in the field
- 79% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
Number 127: Trinity College- 29 grads a year in the field
- 83% graduate
- $103k after 10 years
Number 128: Auburn University- 160 grads a year in the field
- 82% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
Number 129: University of Rhode Island- 117 grads a year in the field
- 73% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
Number 130: Elon University- 90 grads a year in the field
- 83% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
Number 131: University of Nebraska-Lincoln- 153 grads a year in the field
- 68% graduate
- $62k after 10 years
Number 132: Connecticut College- 56 grads a year in the field
- 82% graduate
- $82k after 10 years
Number 133: California Lutheran University- 68 grads a year in the field
- 69% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
Number 134: Seattle University- 55 grads a year in the field
- 73% graduate
- $85k after 10 years
Number 135: University of Vermont- 97 grads a year in the field
- 80% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
Number 136: Florida Atlantic University- 126 grads a year in the field
- 63% graduate
- $61k after 10 years
Number 137: Ohio University-Main Campus- 192 grads a year in the field
- 65% graduate
- $62k after 10 years
Number 138: Occidental College- 48 grads a year in the field
- 80% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
Number 139: Colorado State University-Fort Collins- 179 grads a year in the field
- 67% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
Number 140: University of Denver- 73 grads a year in the field
- 75% graduate
- $77k after 10 years
Number 141: Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College- 194 grads a year in the field
- 68% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
Number 142: West Virginia University- 199 grads a year in the field
- 65% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
Number 143: Creighton University- 26 grads a year in the field
- 83% graduate
- $81k after 10 years
Number 144: Berklee College of Music- 884 grads a year in the field
- 70% graduate
- $43k after 10 years
Number 145: Miami University-Oxford- 92 grads a year in the field
- 81% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
Number 146: Butler University- 60 grads a year in the field
- 79% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
Number 147: Kent State University at Kent- 400 grads a year in the field
- 57% graduate
- $51k after 10 years
Number 148: Washington State University- 56 grads a year in the field
- 62% graduate
- $72k after 10 years
Number 149: Tulane University of Louisiana- 97 grads a year in the field
- 87% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
Number 150: University of North Florida- 87 grads a year in the field
- 69% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
Number 151: University of Mississippi- 52 grads a year in the field
- 71% graduate
- $59k after 10 years
Number 152: Oregon State University- 131 grads a year in the field
- 69% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
Number 153: Kenyon College- 65 grads a year in the field
- 84% graduate
- $66k after 10 years
Number 154: Baylor University- 136 grads a year in the field
- 81% graduate
- $72k after 10 years
Number 155: University of New Mexico-Main Campus- 160 grads a year in the field
- 54% graduate
- $50k after 10 years
Number 156: University of Wyoming- 60 grads a year in the field
- 60% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
Number 157: Loyola University New Orleans- 134 grads a year in the field
- 60% graduate
- $59k after 10 years
Number 158: Cleveland State University- 135 grads a year in the field
- 51% graduate
- $57k after 10 years
Number 159: Kansas State University- 75 grads a year in the field
- 71% graduate
- $61k after 10 years
Number 160: Loyola University Chicago- 84 grads a year in the field
- 73% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
Number 161: University of New Hampshire-Main Campus- 49 grads a year in the field
- 76% graduate
- $71k after 10 years
Number 162: New Mexico State University-Main Campus- 76 grads a year in the field
- 54% graduate
- $44k after 10 years
Number 163: Wentworth Institute of Technology- 56 grads a year in the field
- 66% graduate
- $95k after 10 years
Number 164: University of Louisville- 95 grads a year in the field
- 61% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
Number 165: University of San Francisco- 46 grads a year in the field
- 68% graduate
- $95k after 10 years
Number 166: College of Charleston- 158 grads a year in the field
- 66% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
Number 167: Wichita State University- 113 grads a year in the field
- 52% graduate
- $56k after 10 years
Number 168: The University of Texas at San Antonio- 110 grads a year in the field
- 52% graduate
- $61k after 10 years
Number 169: University of Dayton- 46 grads a year in the field
- 80% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
Number 170: Gettysburg College- 32 grads a year in the field
- 81% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
Number 171: Saint Edward's University- 64 grads a year in the field
- 60% graduate
- $65k after 10 years
Number 172: Florida Gulf Coast University- 78 grads a year in the field
- 57% graduate
- $59k after 10 years
Number 173: Boise State University- 159 grads a year in the field
- 61% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
Number 174: Howard University- 60 grads a year in the field
- 72% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
Number 175: Old Dominion University- 90 grads a year in the field
- 45% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
Number 176: Whitman College- 42 grads a year in the field
- 78% graduate
- $71k after 10 years
Number 177: Bard College- 127 grads a year in the field
- 68% graduate
- $55k after 10 years
Number 178: Lewis & Clark College- 34 grads a year in the field
- 75% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
Number 179: Drake University- 41 grads a year in the field
- 72% graduate
- $79k after 10 years
Number 180: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University- 51 grads a year in the field
- 57% graduate
- $52k after 10 years
Number 181: Willamette University- 26 grads a year in the field
- 71% graduate
- $62k after 10 years
Number 182: Spelman College- 32 grads a year in the field
- 78% graduate
- $66k after 10 years
Number 183: Furman University- 47 grads a year in the field
- 76% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
Number 184: Denison University- 43 grads a year in the field
- 79% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
Number 185: California Institute of the Arts- 151 grads a year in the field
- 65% graduate
- $45k after 10 years
Number 186: University of Idaho- 61 grads a year in the field
- 59% graduate
- $58k after 10 years
Number 187: Mississippi State University- 56 grads a year in the field
- 68% graduate
- $54k after 10 years
Number 188: The University of Montana- 129 grads a year in the field
- 48% graduate
- $49k after 10 years
Number 189: North Carolina A & T State University- 68 grads a year in the field
- 57% graduate
- $50k after 10 years
Number 190: Montana State University- 122 grads a year in the field
- 58% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
Number 191: University of Maine- 38 grads a year in the field
- 56% graduate
- $59k after 10 years
Number 192: Southwestern University- 29 grads a year in the field
- 73% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
Number 193: Morehouse College- 51 grads a year in the field
- 58% graduate
- $62k after 10 years
Number 194: Xavier University- 39 grads a year in the field
- 70% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
Number 195: Morgan State University- 33 grads a year in the field
- 41% graduate
- $57k after 10 years
Number 196: Clark Atlanta University- 47 grads a year in the field
- 44% graduate
- $47k after 10 years
How to use this ranking.
Compare the specific art, design, music or performance program you want. Check portfolio or audition requirements, studio access and costs for materials.
What the rank does not tell you.
This combines college-wide results with the number of degrees awarded in the field. It does not measure teaching quality or earnings in this major. A larger program is not automatically a better choice for you.
Spike ranks the colleges in its guide, not every college in America. Read the full method and its limits, or compare colleges by your own priorities.
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