568
Graduates Per Year
$49K
Average Salary
#267
Most Popular Major
Degree Stats
Popular
568
13% NATIONAL AVG
Diplomas Received Last Year
76
5% NATIONAL AVG
Colleges Offering this Degree
Most Popular Degrees
266
Developmental and Child Psychology
570
267
Painting
568
268
Construction Engineering
553
Most Widely Offered Degrees
35
/
1.852
Worse
Better
Top 100 Colleges offering this degree
Degree Granting Schools that are Public
Most Graduates
By Region
Mid East
Maryland Institute College of Art
By State
New York
Pratt Institute-Main
By Conference
Atlantic 10 Conference
Virginia Commonwealth University
By School
Wichita State University
If you think life as a gallery manager, store planner, or art director sounds interesting, then a degree in painting may just be for you. You could even become a career portrait painter!
Painting is the 267th most popular degree in America, with 568 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #268 Construction Engineering, and narrowly lost to #266 Developmental and Child Psychology.
The degree is offered at a total of 76 colleges across the nation, and is the 213th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 4% of the Top 100 Best Colleges in America.
It is also worth noting that 32% of colleges offering painting are public making it a relatively inaccessible field.
The mid east produces the most painting graduates, largely led by Maryland Institute College of Art, while it’s the Atlantic 10 Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, New York ranks highest, with particular help from Pratt Institute-Main and State University of New York at New Paltz.
All that being said, no individual school produces more painting graduates than Wichita State University, which graduated 44 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study painting). More students studied painting as a percentage of total students at Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico than any other college.
We wish you luck finding the right college for you. We hope you enjoy Authority's 2022 official Best Colleges for Painting list. Some of our picks may surprise you!
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#1 Best Colleges for Painting
Rhode Island School of Design is a small private art school located in Providence, RI ranked 77th in America. It has a total of 2,049 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, accepting just over one fourth of applicants. Rhode Island School of Design offers 33 different majors and is best known for its Systems Science and Theory, Painting, and Fiber, Textile and Weaving Arts programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $51,800 per year, Rhode Island School of Design is exceptionally pricey. 85% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, entering the workforce. After graduation, alumni go on to make roughly $51,100 per year, which is 23% greater than the national median.
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Providence, RI
www.risd.edu
A+
Rating
26%
Acceptance
2,542
Students
# 70
Ranking
$51,800
Tuition
#2 Best Colleges for Painting
Maryland Institute College of Art is a small private art school located in Baltimore, MD ranked 223rd in the nation. It has a total of 2,139 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 63.89% acceptance rate. Maryland Institute College of Art offers 42 different majors and is best known for its Graphic Design, Multimedia Art, and Painting programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $48,510 per year, Maryland Institute College of Art is very high-priced. 65.79% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, joining the labor force. After graduation, alumni go on to make around $37,300 per year, which is 10% less than the national median.
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Baltimore, MD
www.mica.edu
A
Rating
64%
Acceptance
2,589
Students
# 162
Ranking
$48,510
Tuition
#3 Best Colleges for Painting
Pratt Institute-Main is a mid-sized private art school located in Brooklyn, NY ranked 206th in America. It has a total of 4,192 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 55.5% acceptance rate. Pratt Institute-Main offers 73 different majors and is best known for its Architectural Technology, Drawing, and Industrial and Product Design programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 3rd respectively). With an annual tuition of $51,754 per year, Pratt Institute-Main is very expensive. 63.82% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, employment. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to take home roughly $43,400 per year, which is 4% above the national median.
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Brooklyn, NY
www.pratt.edu
A
Rating
56%
Acceptance
5,683
Students
# 151
Ranking
$51,754
Tuition
#4 Best Colleges for Painting
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Richmond, VA
https://www.vcu.edu/
B-
Rating
87%
Acceptance
33,462
Students
# 166
Ranking
$32,742
Tuition
#5 Best Colleges for Painting
Boston University is a very large private university located in Boston, MA ranked 35th in the United States. It has a total of 23,235 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting 18.94% of applicants. Boston University offers 433 different majors and is best known for its Counseling Psychology, Athletic Training, and Archeology programs, which are all nationally ranked 2nd. With an annual tuition of $54,720 per year, Boston University is extremely costly. 77.85% of students graduate ready to the next phase of their lives, working. Open graduating, alumni go on to bring home about $65,300 per year, which is 57% over the national median.
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Boston, MA
www.bu.edu
A+
Rating
19%
Acceptance
42,779
Students
# 34
Ranking
$54,720
Tuition
#6 Best Colleges for Painting
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Kansas City, MO
www.kcai.edu
C+
Rating
57%
Acceptance
689
Students
# 473
Ranking
$38,700
Tuition
#7 Best Colleges for Painting
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Boston, MA
www.massart.edu
A-
Rating
58%
Acceptance
2,495
Students
# 85
Ranking
$25,730
Tuition
#8 Best Colleges for Painting
Savannah College of Art and Design is a large private art school located in Savannah, GA ranked 10th in Georgia. It has a total of 12,966 full-time undergraduate students and is not competitive, with a 95.91% acceptance rate. Savannah College of Art and Design offers 64 different majors and is best known for its Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics and Special Effects, Illustration, and Apparel and Textiles programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $37,575 per year, Savannah College of Art and Design is quite expensive. 60% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, entering the labor market. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to take home near $36,400 per year, which is 12% below the national median.
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Savannah, GA
www.scad.edu
B-
Rating
96%
Acceptance
16,065
Students
# 372
Ranking
$37,575
Tuition
#9 Best Colleges for Painting
University of Washington-Seattle Campus is a very large public university located in Seattle, WA ranked 110th in America. It has a total of 39,443 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 51.76% acceptance rate. University of Washington-Seattle Campus offers 687 different majors and is best known for its Informatics, Environmental Science, and Physician Assistant Studies programs, which are all nationally ranked 2nd. With an annual tuition of $10,370 for in-state students and $37,071 for those from out-of-state, University of Washington-Seattle Campus is quite high-priced. 77.21% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, joining the labor market. After finishing college, alumni go on to bring home about $57,700 per year, which is 39% above the national median.
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Seattle, WA
www.washington.edu
A
Rating
52%
Acceptance
56,315
Students
# 15
Ranking
$37,071
Tuition
#10 Best Colleges for Painting
Temple University is a very large public university located in Philadelphia, PA ranked 253rd in the nation. It has a total of 31,632 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 60.04% acceptance rate. Temple University offers 493 different majors and is best known for its Organizational Communication, Recreational Therapy, and Social Studies Teacher Education programs, which are all nationally ranked 2nd. With an annual tuition of $16,080 for in-state students and $28,992 for those from out-of-state, Temple University is somewhat moderately expensive. 69.66% of students graduate starting the next chapter of their lives, employment. After finishing college, alumni go on to take home roughly $50,500 per year, which is 22% greater than the national median.
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Philadelphia, PA
www.temple.edu
A-
Rating
60%
Acceptance
43,154
Students
# 67
Ranking
$28,992
Tuition
#11 Best Colleges for Painting
SUNY at Purchase College is a small public institution located in Purchase, NY ranked 66th in New York. It has a total of 4,647 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting 51.51% of applicants. SUNY at Purchase College offers 62 different majors and is best known for its Fine and Studio Arts Management, Playwriting and Screenwriting, and Literature programs (nationally ranked 2nd, 4th, and 7th respectively). With an annual tuition of $7,070 for in-state students and $16,980 for those from out-of-state, SUNY at Purchase College is reasonably priced. 67.84% of students graduate ready to the next phase of their lives, entering the labor force. Open graduating, alumni go on to make roughly $35,200 per year, which is 15% under the national median.
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Purchase, NY
www.purchase.edu
B
Rating
52%
Acceptance
4,753
Students
# 134
Ranking
$16,980
Tuition
#12 Best Colleges for Painting
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Minneapolis, MN
MCAD.EDU
B
Rating
59%
Acceptance
909
Students
# 361
Ranking
$39,946
Tuition
#13 Best Colleges for Painting
California College of the Arts is a small private art school located in San Francisco, CA ranked 50th in California. It has a total of 1,655 full-time undergraduate students and is not competitive, accepting approximately 6/7ths of applicants. California College of the Arts offers 33 different majors and is best known for its Industrial and Product Design, Multimedia Art, and Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics and Special Effects programs (nationally ranked 5th, 6th, and 8th respectively). With an annual tuition of $50,592 per year, California College of the Arts is very expensive. 57.53% of students graduate ready to the next phase of their lives, employment. After graduation, alumni go on to earn near $37,200 per year, which is 10% less than the national median.
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San Francisco, CA
www.cca.edu
B
Rating
85%
Acceptance
2,136
Students
# 336
Ranking
$50,592
Tuition
#14 Best Colleges for Painting
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Houston, TX
www.uh.edu/
B+
Rating
65%
Acceptance
51,999
Students
# 95
Ranking
$20,747
Tuition
#15 Best Colleges for Painting
University of Puget Sound is a small private liberal arts college located in Tacoma, WA ranked 277th in the United States. It has a total of 2,408 full-time undergraduate students and is not competitive, with a 83.81% acceptance rate. University of Puget Sound offers 56 different majors and is best known for its Painting, Biological and Physical Sciences, and German Language and Literature programs (nationally ranked 15th, 17th, and 18th respectively). With an annual tuition of $51,470 per year, University of Puget Sound is very high-priced. 74.01% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, employment. After college, alumni go on to bring home around $52,700 per year, which is 27% over the national median.
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Tacoma, WA
www.pugetsound.edu
A-
Rating
84%
Acceptance
2,719
Students
# 200
Ranking
$51,470
Tuition
#16 Best Colleges for Painting
University of Hartford is a mid-sized private university located in West Hartford, CT ranked 14th in Connecticut. It has a total of 6,248 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 76.35% acceptance rate. University of Hartford offers 141 different majors and is best known for its Ceramics, Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies, and Sales and Merchandising programs (nationally ranked 6th, 7th, and 13th respectively). With an annual tuition of $39,220 per year, University of Hartford is quite costly. 52.22% of students graduate beginning the next phase of their lives, entering the labor force. After college, alumni go on to take home near $47,800 per year, which is 15% greater than the national median.
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West Hartford, CT
www.hartford.edu
C+
Rating
76%
Acceptance
8,861
Students
# 447
Ranking
$39,220
Tuition
#17 Best Colleges for Painting
State University of New York at New Paltz is a mid-sized public institution located in New Paltz, NY ranked 46th in New York. It has a total of 7,661 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 45.18% acceptance rate. State University of New York at New Paltz offers 104 different majors and is best known for its Art Teacher Education, Social Studies Teacher Education, and English Teacher Education programs (nationally ranked 2nd, 7th, and 8th respectively). With an annual tuition of $7,070 for in-state students and $16,980 for those from out-of-state, State University of New York at New Paltz is reasonably priced. 67.69% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, entering the labor force. After college, alumni go on to make approximately $45,000 per year, which is 8% greater than the national median.
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New Paltz, NY
www.newpaltz.edu
B+
Rating
45%
Acceptance
8,895
Students
# 99
Ranking
$16,980
Tuition
#18 Best Colleges for Painting
College of the Ozarks is a small private institution located in Point Lookout, MO ranked 227th in the nation. It has a total of 1,845 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, with a 10.26% acceptance rate. College of the Ozarks offers 76 different majors and is best known for its Bible Studies, Ecology, and Child Development programs (nationally ranked 5th, 10th, and 11th respectively). With an annual tuition of $19,200 per year, College of the Ozarks is moderately priced. 58.51% of students graduate beginning the next chapter of their lives, employment. After college, alumni go on to make about $32,500 per year, which is 22% below the national median.
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Point Lookout, MO
www.cofo.edu
A-
Rating
10%
Acceptance
1,845
Students
# 166
Ranking
$19,200
Tuition
#19 Best Colleges for Painting
Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico is a very small public art school located in San Juan, PR ranked 31st in Puerto Rico. It has a total of 469 full-time undergraduate students and is not competitive, accepting a touch north of 9 in 10 applicants. Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico offers 7 different majors and is best known for its Painting, Digital Arts, and Fashion Design programs (nationally ranked 19th, 25th, and 30th respectively). With an annual tuition of $2,860 for students from Puerto Rico and $5,020 for those from out-of-state, Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico is quite affordable. 34.48% of students graduate moving on to the next stage of their lives, employment. After college, alumni go on to draw close to $16,000 per year, which is 61% less than the national median.
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San Juan, PR
www.eap.edu
D
Rating
91%
Acceptance
469
Students
# 1274
Ranking
$5,020
Tuition
#20 Best Colleges for Painting
Maine College of Art is a very small private art school located in Portland, ME ranked 9th in Maine. It has a total of 404 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting 62.36% of applicants. Maine College of Art offers 15 different majors and is best known for its Sculpture, Painting, and Illustration programs (nationally ranked 14th, 20th, and 29th respectively). With an annual tuition of $35,694 per year, Maine College of Art is reasonably high-priced. 56.79% of students graduate starting the next stage of their lives, entering the labor market. After finishing college, alumni go on to earn approximately $27,700 per year, which is 33% below the national median.
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Portland, ME
www.meca.edu
C+
Rating
62%
Acceptance
488
Students
# 646
Ranking
$35,694
Tuition
#21 Best Colleges for Painting
Montserrat College of Art is a very small private art school located in Beverly, MA ranked 52nd in Massachusetts. It has a total of 370 full-time undergraduate students. Montserrat College of Art offers 11 different majors and is best known for its Sculpture, Painting, and Illustration programs (nationally ranked 15th, 21st, and 25th respectively). With an annual tuition of $32,850 per year, Montserrat College of Art is somewhat moderately costly. 52.98% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, entering the workforce. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to generate around $26,500 per year, which is 36% below the national median.
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Beverly, MA
https://www.montserrat.edu/
C+
Rating
100%
Acceptance
370
Students
# 590
Ranking
$32,850
Tuition
#22 Best Colleges for Painting
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Cleveland, OH
www.cia.edu
C+
Rating
70%
Acceptance
678
Students
# 593
Ranking
$40,480
Tuition
#23 Best Colleges for Painting
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German is a small private institution located in San German, PR ranked 15th in Puerto Rico. It has a total of 4,149 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting slightly north of 42.9% of applicants. Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German offers 90 different majors and is best known for its Office Management and Supervision and Painting programs, which are respectively ranked 19th and 23rd in the US. With an annual tuition of $4,560 per year, Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German is quite inexpensive. 30.74% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, entering the labor market. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to generate roughly $19,800 per year, which is 52% less than the national median.
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San German, PR
www.sg.inter.edu/
C
Rating
44%
Acceptance
4,898
Students
# 853
Ranking
$4,560
Tuition
#24 Best Colleges for Painting
Brigham Young University-Hawaii is a small private institution located in Laie, HI ranked 2nd in Hawaii. It has a total of 3,875 full-time undergraduate students and is not competitive, with a 97.33% acceptance rate. Brigham Young University-Hawaii offers 75 different majors and is best known for its Critical Theory and Analysis, Multicultural and Diversity Studies, and Teaching English as a Second Language programs (nationally ranked 4th, 6th, and 10th respectively). With an annual tuition of $5,720 per year, Brigham Young University-Hawaii is quite low-priced. 38.54% of students graduate starting the next stage of their lives, working. Open graduating, alumni go on to bring in about $42,200 per year, which is 2% greater than the national median.
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Laie, HI
www.byuh.edu/
C+
Rating
97%
Acceptance
3,875
Students
# 544
Ranking
$5,720
Tuition
#25 Best Colleges for Painting
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth is a mid-sized public institution located in North Dartmouth, MA ranked 49th in Massachusetts. It has a total of 7,740 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 74.83% acceptance rate. University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth offers 138 different majors and is best known for its Painting, Digital Arts, and Illustration programs (nationally ranked 25th, 33rd, and 35th respectively). With an annual tuition of $13,833 for in-state students and $29,578 for those from out-of-state, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth is reasonably costly. 43.61% of students graduate moving on to the next stage of their lives, employment. After finishing college, alumni go on to earn close to $48,200 per year, which is 16% above the national median.
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North Dartmouth, MA
www.umassd.edu
C+
Rating
75%
Acceptance
9,714
Students
# 282
Ranking
$29,578
Tuition