Gone are the days when the art profession was seen as a useless proportion. Nowadays, the art world has become increasingly professionalized, which means a Master of Fine Arts degree is now often a necessary step on the road to gallery representation and critical acclaim. But how do we know the best art school available in the country? How do you know which fine arts colleges are the best, and how do you know which ones would be good fits for you? Well, Don’t stress upon that; I have covered that for you.
This article has enlisted the top 10 undergraduate art schools to help you bag an incredible art career. Each of the colleges mentioned below offers a unique curriculum to learn arts. I used a combination of aggregated ranking lists and industry opinions to compile a list of the top fine arts colleges in the country. So without further adieu, let us dive right into it!
Table of Contents
Yale School of Art
Yale University is one of the finest Ivy League universities across the globe. It is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and offers the best arts programs you will ever find. The very noted programs are Painting and Printmaking, Photography, Sculpture. The cost of the tuition is 36,359$.
For years, Yale has topped nearly every annual survey of the best MFA programs in the nation. You will have huge credibility after completing your degree in this most prestigious and oldest institution. Eva Hesse, Richard Serra, WangechiMutu, and DawoudBey are some of the mention-worthy alumni from Yale who rock the art industry.
Founded In: 1701
Tuition: $36,359 (before aid)
ACT Avg– 35
SAT Avg– 1560
Acceptance Rate: 6%
GPA: 4.14
Rank: #1
Contact: (203) 432-4771
Financial Aid: The following are the scholarships for this program
- AIA/F Diversity Advancement Scholarship- $20,000- Need-based fund
- Beinecke Scholarship Program- $34000– Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
Mason Gross School of Arts- Rutgers University
With full fellowships for all admitted MFA students, Rutgers University has an excellent infrastructure and faculty team who are industry experts for learning programs. In addition, painting and Drawing are unique programs that will help you fetch a fantastic career in the art world.
The university is located in New Jersey and the fee is less compared to Yale as they cost only 28,800$ here at Rutgers. The various visual and performing arts programs of Rutgers consolidated and took on the name Mason Gross School of the Arts in the 1950s. This university is highly recommended.
Founded In: 1766
Tuition: $33,457 (before aid)
ACT Avg– 32
SAT Avg– 1330
Acceptance Rate: 61%
GPA: 3.54
Rank: #2
Contact: (848) 445-4636
Financial Aid: The following are the scholarships for this program
- International Chancellor’s Scholarship- $15,000- Educational Fund
- Theodore J. and F. Elizabeth Kirsch Southern California Scholarship- Educational Fund
- Rutgers First-Year Student Awards- $2000-$29000- Educational fund
Apply for Admission
Bard College
Located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, Bard College is a great college to study arts where you can close your eyes and join this first-class institution. The highlight of their program is Students enjoy the added benefit of having a thesis exhibition held in New York City each year.
The cost of the tuition is $21,919 and the arts programs they offer are Painting, Sculpture, Film, and Video. The location of the school I fanatic. Bard’s idyllic campus in upstate New York is the stuff of an Edith Wharton-inspired fantasy. They have hired former New Museum curator Lauren Cornell as director of its Curatorial Studies graduate program which increases the credibility of their programs.
Founded In: 1860
Tuition: $74,712 (before aid)
ACT Avg– 29
SAT Avg– 1230
Acceptance Rate: 65%
GPA: 3.25
Rank: #3
Contact: (845) 758-6822
Financial Aid: The following are the scholarships for this program
- Civic Engagement Scholarship- $6,000- Need based fund
- Classical Studies Scholarship- $1,500- Stipend based fund
- Early College Opportunity (ECO) Scholarship- Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
Maryland Institute College of Art
Baltimore’s top-rated college, Maryland Institute College of Art is an exclusive college for artsy people like you. The only disadvantage is they charge a whopping $45,290 dollars for tuition but it is absolutely worth it for their art infrastructure. Painting, Sculpture, Photographic and Electronic Media are the popular programs offered by them.
It is a very popular college with fantastic campus life rankings. The Chronicle of Higher Education listed MICA as one of the nation’s top producers of Fulbright Fellows among specialty schools. The alumni are very extravagant and I would highly endorse this college to learn arts.
Founded In: 1826
Tuition: $67,075 (before aid)
ACT Avg– 25
SAT Avg– 1300
Acceptance Rate: 64%
GPA: 3.45
Rank: #4
Contact: (410) 669-9200
Financial Aid: The following are the scholarships for this program
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant- $1,000- Need based fund
- Federal Pell Grants –$6,095- need based fund
Apply for Admission
School of the Arts- Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is Virginia’s most important asset which nurtures the best art students from their university. Sculpture, Glass, and Graphic Design are some of the very popular programs offered at $28,164 tuition fees in this top-rated university.
If you are looking for a university that will tune up your artsy talents, this is the best fit for you. In addition, the highlight of learning here is Its foundry and metal fabrication shop are state-of-the-art and it is very popular in the arts industry. Tara Donovan and TeresitaFernández are some of the popular alumni from this university.
Founded In: 1854
Tuition: $28,164 (before aid)
ACT Avg– N/A
SAT Avg– 1330
Acceptance Rate: 87%
GPA: 3.5
Rank: #5
Contact: (804) 828-1981
Financial Aid: Click here for detailed information
Apply for Admission
Cranbrook Academy of Art
Located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Cranbrook Academy of Art is a very popular art school in that region that is built exclusively for arts programs. They have unique programs with Fiber, Ceramics, and Print Media. The annual tuition at this prestigious institution is 35,406$ which is comparatively a bit high.
If you want to know why this school ranks on the list, you have to go look at their achievements. In fact, Its Arts and Crafts and Art Deco-style buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a wonderful place to stir up your artistic talents. The curriculum is DIY and there are no mandatory classes, so students are free to build a schedule entirely suited to their individual interests.
Founded In: 1904
Tuition: $35,406 (before aid)
ACT Avg– N/A
SAT Avg– N/A
Acceptance Rate: 40%
GPA: N/A
Rank: #6
Contact: 248-645-3300
Financial Aid: The following are the scholarships for this program.
- Albert K. Murray Fine Arts Educational Fund- Varies- Educational Fund
- The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans- $5000- Need based fund
- College Art Association Professional Development Fellowships for Graduate Students- $10,000- Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
California Institute of the Arts
If you don’t mind an institute when prices more than Yale University, then you can continue reading further. California Institute of the Arts is a first-class art instate located in Valencia, California. The tuition is a whopping $46,830 and they offer programs like Film and Video; Photography and Media; Art and Technology.
Walt Disney founded this Tinsel Town establishment in 1961 by merging the Chouinard Art Institute and the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music to make the first higher-education institution that combined both visual and performing arts. So the credibility of this institute is sky-high.
Founded In: 1961
Tuition: $46,830 (before aid)
ACT Avg- N/A
SAT Avg- 1160
Acceptance Rate: 25%
GPA: 3.34
Rank: #7
Contact: (661) 255-1050
Financial Aid: The following are the scholarships for this program
- CalArts Merit Scholarships- $10,000- Educational Fund
- The California Dream Act- varies- need based fund
- CalArts Equity and Access Grants- varies- Need based fund
Apply for Admission
Hunter College- City University of New York
One of the finest colleges in New York, Hunter College, City University of New York offers fantastic arts programs that will literally sweep you off your feet. Studio Art (the sole official MFA offering includes concentrations in Painting, Photography, Clay and Casting, Printmaking, and other disciplines) is a highly recommended program.
The tuition is comparatively very less at 14,000$. It is a great bargain. The curriculum is top-notch and most importantly, the campus life is excellent. This course structure allows many to hold part-time jobs for the duration of their degree program
Founded In: 1870
Tuition: $14,000 (before aid)
ACT Avg- N/A
SAT Avg– 1330
Acceptance Rate: 35%
GPA: N/A
Rank: #8
Contact: (212) 772-4000
Financial Aid: The following are the scholarships for this program
- Guttman Transfer Scholarships- $4000- educational fund
- Peter F. Vallone Academic Scholarship- $750 per year- Merit Based Fund
- Jonas E. Salk Scholarship- $8,000- Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Finding Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the list below is pretty unusual, right? At 48,452$ the arts program like Art, Culture, and Technology is a first-class program that is widely popularized for its top-rated faculty team who are industry experts.
MIT’s graduate program only admits six students per year and focuses on artistic practices that combine visual studies and experimentation, offering artists opportunities to work between other programs and labs at MIT. So good luck getting into this competitive school.
Founded In: 1861
Tuition: $48,452 (before aid)
ACT Avg– 34
SAT Avg– 1510
Acceptance Rate: 6%
GPA: 3.75
Rank: #9
Contact: (617) 253-1000
Financial Aid: The following are the scholarships for this program
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant – Educational grant
- Federal Pell Grant – 6,495$- Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
The only reason it comes down the list is because of the tuition fee. The arts program is 48,750$ which includes programs like Painting and Drawing; Film, Video, New Media, and Animation; Fiber, and Material Studies. Located in Illinois, this school is highly endorsed.
Their museum school is very popular for its museum which has a great fan base in the industry. Moreover, the institution is consistently ranked among the top three art schools in the U.S. thanks to an all-star faculty including artists Michelle Grabner, NickCave, and Eduardo Kac.
Founded In: 1866
Tuition: $69,880 (before aid)
ACT Avg– 22
SAT Avg– 1120
Acceptance Rate: 57%
GPA: 3.45
Rank: #10
Contact: (800) 232-7242
Financial Aid: The college has not opened scholarships currently
