Art is the passion of countless students around the globe, and find the best art schools in the US can be instrumental in calibrating their passion into expertise.
In Igor Babailov’s (American Artist) words, “Art is an international language, understood by all.”
Arts is one of the best streams to pursue, and a good college can carry this passion in the right direction and refine it. The US has many good art colleges & universities, which students can consider for their post secondary education.
Some of the best art schools stand out from others in shaping the student’s aptitude.
Let’s take a glance at the 12 best Art Schools in the US.
Rhode Island School of Design
Nestled in the smallest state of the US, i.e., Rhode Island, it is a private art and design school. Being one of the oldest and most renowned art colleges in the US, it is an education hub for 2000 students.
It provides 44 full-time bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in ceramics, apparel design, architecture, furniture design, etc.
The school has earned rank 1 in the ‘Graphic Designing Program’ category in the “Best Grad School Ranking” of US News and World Report. It is also ranked 4th by subject (in the Art and Design program category) in the QS World University Ranking 2024 raising its reputation. Angus MacLane, the co-director of Finding Dory, Michael Dante Dimartino, an animator and film producer known for Avatar: The Last Airbender; and Seth Macfarlane (American actor and animator) are some of its popular alumni.
- Acceptance rate — 17.4%
- Tuition fees — $61,564 (per year)
- IELTS Score — 6.5
- GPA — 3.7
- SAT — 1416
- ACT — 31
UCLA School of Arts and Architecture
This public art school is located in Los Angeles, with its parent institution being the University of California.
With around 650 and 300 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses, the institution is renowned for its four degree-granting departments in the following disciplines.
- Architecture and Urban Design
- Art, Design / Media Arts
- World Arts
- Cultures/Dance
Moving to its ranking, it has been ranked No. 1 in ‘Best Fine Art Programs’ and No. 2 in the ‘Sculpture’, ‘New Media’, and ‘Photography’ program categories by U.S. News and World Report.
The notable alumni of the institution include Jack Black (Actor), James Franco(Actor), and Francis Ford (Film Director).
- Acceptance rate — 9-11%
- Tuition fees — $13225 per year for California residents (additional $28,992 tuition fees for non-residents)
- IELTS Score — 7
- GPA — 3.0
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
This eminent art school in Chicago (in the Illinois state of the US) was established in 1866.
It provides a broad choice of undergraduate and graduate programs in animation, architecture, art and science, ceramics, costume design, etc., admitting more than 3000 students to these courses.
To apply, the students need to fill out the online application along with the portfolio and letter of recommendation. The scholarship programs and grants for admission of national and international students make it easy for dextrous applicants to join the prestigious institute.
It has been ranked 10th by subject in the QS World University Ranking and its ‘Fine Arts’ and ‘Painting/ Drawing’ programs are ranked 2nd by US News and World Report.
- Acceptance rate — 79%
- Tuition fees — $56,420 (per year)
- IELTS Score — 7
- GPA — 3.55
- SAT — 1230
Parsons The New School for Design
This private art school, located in Greenwich Village, New York City, was ranked 1st in the ‘art and design school in the United States’ category in the QS World University Ranking.
With a strength of more than 6900 undergraduates, it provides Bachelor in Fine Arts (BFA) courses in architectural design, communication design, design and technology, fashion design, integrated design, interior design, and other disciplines.
The college also provides the privilege of a ‘Five-year Dual Degree’ with a BA from Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts and a BFA from Parsons. The graduate courses are provided for masters in architecture, data visualization, design and tech, fine art, interior design, light design, etc.
The wide range of options and the high prestige in the World University Ranking make it one of the best art schools in the world.
- Acceptance rate — 52%
- Tuition fees — $28,989 (per semester)
- IELTS Score — 7
- GPA — 3.55
- SAT–1211
Pratt Institute
Established as a private university in Brooklyn, it has emerged as one of the best art schools in New York.
With more than 5000 students enrolled, it provides undergraduate and graduate courses in fashion design, interior design, communication design, industrial design, etc.
The college has been awarded 6th rank in the world and 4th rank in America in the ‘Art and Design Program’ category by the QS World University Ranking. Besides, it has also been adorned with rank 1 in 2020 and rank 2 in 2022 in the ‘Graphic Designing Program’ category in New York by Animation Career Review, adding a star to its fame.
The alumni of this institute include famous fashion designer Jeremy Scott and well-known graphic designer Paul Rand.
- Acceptance rate — 53%
- Tuition fees — $30,000- $65,000 (for Degree Courses)/ $10,000 to $33,000 (for Certificates) (per year)
- IELTS Score — 7.5
- GPA — 3.7
- SAT — 1200
- ACT — 29
Yale School of Arts
Yale University has always been a source of some of the brightest minds in the world. Yale School of Arts is also counted among the top arts schools in the US.
Founded in 1869, it provides MFA (Masters in Fine Arts) in graphic design, painting/printmaking, photography, and sculpture, along with undergraduate-level art courses.
It has been ranked 1st in ‘Photography’ and ‘Drawing/ Painting’ and second in the ‘Fine Arts’, ‘sculpture’, and ‘Graphic Designing programs. Yale University is ranked 23rd and given an academic reputation measure of 99.9% in QS World University Rankings 2025.
- Acceptance rate — 5-6%
- Tuition fees — $46,870 (per year)
- IELTS Score — 7
- GPA — 4.13
- SAT — 1500-1580
- ACT — 33-35
Tisch School of the Arts, New York University
Located in Manhattan, it is considered the best art school in New York. Founded in 1965, the school consists of 3 institutes: Emerging Media, Film and Television, and Performing Arts.
It provides courses for BA, BFA, MA, MFA, MPS, or PhD in various disciplines to learn dance, music, game design, film and television, public policy, and photography.
Tisch School of the Arts, Asia was opened in 2007 in Singapore as an Asian branch and provides 4 programs: Animation & Digital Arts, Drama Writing, International Media Producing, and Film.
With 25000 + alumni, the school has produced more than 20 Academy Award winners. Famous actors Alec Baldwin and Jelani Alladin are some of its notable alumni.
- Acceptance rate — 26%
- Tuition fees — $68,978 (per year)
- IELTS Score — 7.5
- GPA — 3
California Institute of Arts
Nicknamed “CalArts”, it is one of the best art schools in California. It is a private art school situated in Santa Clarita that provides undergraduate and graduate level programs in dance, music, theater, video, etc. with degrees in bachelor of fine arts, master of fine arts, bachelor of arts, and doctor of musical arts.
Admission to the institution is based on demonstrated artistic merit. The educational records, recommendations, and artist’s statements by the applicants are also considered during the admission process.
The ‘Newsweek Magazine’ and ‘The Daily Beast’ have ranked it as America’s top college for students in the arts. It is also ranked 23 in the QS WUR Ranking By Subject 2024. Some well-known alumni from the prestigious institution are Don Cheadle (Actor), Ed Harris (Actor and Filmmaker), and Stephen Hillenburg (Animator).
- Acceptance rate — 25%
- Tuition fees — $58,318 (per year)
- IELTS Score — 6.5
- GPA — 3.34
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Psudodymed as “Massart”, it is a public college in Boston, Massachusetts, providing programs in visual and applied art. Though known for MIT, Massachusetts also embraces this top art school with a committed faculty.
It has more than 1800 undergraduate and around 140 graduate students. It awards degrees of Bachelor, Master, Post-Master, and Doctorate in disciplines such as Art, Culture, and Technology, Comparative Media Studies, History of Architecture, Art and Design, Literature, Music, Theater Arts, and Writing.
To ease learning, it provides pre-college programs for high school students and certificate programs for professional and non-professional artists, making it one of the best art schools in Massachusetts.
Kelly Wearstler (a famous interior designer) and Hal Hartley (an American film director) are among its alumni.
- Acceptance rate — 77-80%
- Tuition fees — $15400 – $43,400 (Based on permanent residence of the students)
- IELTS Score — 6
- GPA — 3.56
Maryland Institute College of Arts (MICA)
MICA is a private art school situated in Baltimore, Maryland state of the U.S. The institution claims to be the oldest independent, continuously degree-granting college of art and design in the U.S.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1, it provides courses in art and design education. More than 3000 students are enrolled in MICA’s 14 BA (Bachelor in Arts) and BFA (Bachelor in Fine Arts) programs in undergraduate, graduate, and open education courses.
Going further, MICA has been ranked 4th in a ‘Graphic Design Program’, 6th in the ‘Painting Design’ and ‘Sculpture’ program, and 8th in ‘Fine Arts ’ by US News and World Reports. It has also been ranked 36 in the QS World University Ranking By Subject 2024.
- Acceptance rate — 80%
- Tuition fees — $54.750 (per year)
- IELTS Score — 6
- GPA — 3.47
- SAT — 1211
- ACT — 25
College of Fine Arts, The University of Texas
Situated in Austin City Texas, the College of Fine Arts was founded in 1937.
With a strength of more than 1500 undergraduates and around 400 graduates, the institute is known for its degrees in Bachelor in Arts, Bachelor in Fine Arts, and Bachelor in Music in various disciplines such as history, dance, design, studio arts, etc.
The exciting programs of B.M. in Jazz and Music Studies, and BM in Music (Guitar, Piano, String, Voice, etc.) and Music Composition, and programs in creative writing make the institution stand out from other art schools.
It has been ranked 66 in QS World University Rankings 2025 and the Best Grad School ranking by US News and World Report has awarded it 6th rank in ‘sculptors’ and 23rd in the ‘Fine arts program’ category.
- Acceptance rate — 0.5 – 3%
- Tuition fees — $61,650 (per year) for undergraduate and $38,610 (per year) for a graduate course
- GPA — 3
- SAT — 1300-1420
Otis College of Art and Design
Otis College of Art and Design is a private art school in Los Angeles, California, with approximately 1200 students enrolled in different programs.
It provides Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in communication arts, digital media, environmental design, fashion design, fine arts, product design, and toy design. The students have to learn the basics of art and design in the first year before selecting a major.
It also has an impressive employment rate of 96% and is considered a good art school in California.
- Acceptance rate — 83%
- Tuition fees — $53,772 (per year)
- IELTS Score — 6.5
- GPA — 3.26
- SAT — 1130- 1360
- ACT — 20-29
The above-discussed art schools have protruded in the US in the field of art studies.
Many other art schools have also gathered good repute in art studies, such as The College of Fine Arts of Boston University, Lewis Center for the Arts of Princeton University, and Meadows School of Arts of Southern Methodist University (SMU)
All of these art schools provide myriad scopes for students to pursue.
What scope do students have after pursuing art studies? Let’s delve into it to get a holistic understanding.
Scope of Arts
Though seen as a monolithic stream, art has deep and diverse fields, which help students choose their respective fields to enhance their aptitude.
The art schools have different programs and courses for undergraduate, graduate, and some certification courses to set forth better alternatives for aspiring students.
These programs open gates for several fields. Some of the popular fields in the arts are discussed below.
- Art Director: With roles in multiple niches such as advertising, film, fashion, theater, etc., their core function is to consolidate and supervise the entire visual production. The principal function of an art director is to decide which piece of art, i.e. photograph, clip, video, etc., is to be adjusted at what place in content.
- Writer: It is the most comfortable yet one of the most lucrative jobs in the art field. A writer can be a journalist writing for a magazine, TV channel, blog post, commercial brand, newsletter, email, etc. Freelancing can also help make good money with the least effort.
- Graphic Designer: They create images and graphical content for commercial brands, websites, books, newspapers, etc., making the content look more visually informative and appealing. This career has become highly lucrative with the coupling of AI and the use of various PC, mobile, and online tools in this domain.
- Video Editor: They customize video post-production using various software and digital tools to make it more representable and attractive. This career can also be opted for on a permanent or freelancing basis with further scope in the commercial sector, films, and social media.
- Interior Designer: An interior designer plans interior decoration and manages the indoor content to make it look impressive and compatible with the property owner’s choice. They suggest design to manage space, color customization, furniture setting, and material calibration to make an alluring arrangement. They have ample scope in designing residential spaces, industrial settings, educational institutes, and other habitation.
The scope of arts is much wider and includes dance, music, painting, photography, history, sculpture, ceramics, furniture design, and other good options. With changing times, new developments such as the incorporation of AI in arts, and the inclusion of more fields such as yoga studies, have expanded the scope of art studies to bring more options to the students.
Conclusion
The aforesaid art schools are among the best art schools in the USA. Apart from an in-depth analysis of the dream course and the scope afterward, one must consider other peripheral factors such as the location of the art school, accommodation facilities, fee structure, and other formalities. The nonnatives of the US are suggested to contemplate their immigrant formalities before choosing the best art school in the US.
A student’s appetite for learning should never be quenched. And if students are desirous of learning art, the above-mentioned colleges will be a pole start in their career.
Well said by Anthony DeAngelo – “Develop a passion for learning, if you do, you will never cease to grow.”
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FAQS
Ans: Trinity University, the University of Incarnate Word, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and the University of Sacred Heart are some of the best art schools in San Antonio, Texas.
Ans: Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has been remarked as the best art school in the US. It provides 17 BA and BFA programs in different prominent disciplines such as painting, photography, design, etc.
Ans: Some of the best art schools in Atlanta are
- Georgia State University
- Oglethorpe University
- University of West Georgia
Other art schools such as Agnes Scott College, Kennesaw State University, and Brenau University are also advisable options.
Ans: The best art schools in Washington are
- Whiteman college
- Washington University
- Cornish college of arts
Cornish College of Arts is also considered the best art school in Seattle.
Ans: The best art high schools in Northeast Ohio are Cleveland School of Arts and Cleveland High School for Digital Arts. They provide some of the best high school art programs in dance, music, theater arts, and visual arts.
Ans: Some of the best atelier art schools in Seattle, Washington are:
- Washington University
- Cornish college of arts
- Seattle university
Ans: Though Mississippi has Belhaven University, Mississippi College, and the University of Southern Mississippi as some renowned art schools, there is no Lambert School of Art in Mississippi.
