### SUMMARY

 A degree in Painting is a valuable choice and generally a needed first step for scholars endeavoring to enter a career as a gallery manager, a store planner, or an art director. Interestingly, painting is a very rare major ranking as the 267th most popular degree. Last academic year alone, there were 568 painting diplomas received. In-state tuition for painting at private colleges is, on average, 3.6 times more costly than their public rivals.

 With just 76 schools offering painting you might have a more finite list of the institutions which will have a degree program for you. If you are hoping to surround yourself with other painting majors, consider looking at colleges in New York which have more students admitted to painting than any other state. less precisely, the best region to pursue painting is in the Mid East region with [Maryland Institute College of Art](/colleges/maryland-institute-college-of-art), [Pratt Institute-Main](/colleges/pratt-institute-main), and [SUNY at Purchase College](/colleges/suny-at-purchase-college) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection of the best conference to study painting is the Atlantic 10 Conference with [Virginia Commonwealth University](/colleges/virginia-commonwealth-university) representing the conference. From our comprehensive list on the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges), our selection for the best school for painting is [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university).

 The objectively 'best' school does not have to be the 'best' school for you. There can be lots of perspectives to consider when choosing ​university. Features such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food would refashion your inclinations on where to go to university. Here at authority.org, we evaluated the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you are interested in which painting school boasts the best campus, the answer is [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university). If you are mostly interested in which university has the best campus, then we have an entire page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through student reviews, government databases, professor reviews, and more so we can evaluate every U.S. major in an unbiased and informative way. Here you can find our well researched list for the schools with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbspand our pick of the university with the best student life for painting is [University of Washington-Seattle Campus](/colleges/university-of-washington-seattle-campus). Are you curious why? Keep reading to learn more about Authority's top recommendations. Some of our conclusions will probably surprise you.

 If expense is a primary deciding factor in your decision on where to go to school, you might consider avoiding [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university). [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university)&nbspis our most expensive university for painting, at least regarding out of state attendance. That being said, we have a list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that might put the cost at [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university)&nbspinto perspective. You may also want to know that painting is the 162nd most expensive degree in the nation, with an average associated cost of $32,900. To zoom out a little, the most costly state for painting in the nation is Rhode Island demonstrated by a cost of $51,800 at the main college in the state Rhode Island School of Design. To zoom out even further, the most expensive region of the country for painting is unfortunately unavailable due to missing data.

 Our cheapest region for painting is the Southwest region which is represented by [University of Houston](/colleges/university-of-houston) with a cost of $20,747. On the bright side, the most affordable university for painting is [Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German](/colleges/inter-american-university-of-puerto-rico-san-german). Authority's full list of the most affordable colleges can be found [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state learners can expect to pay around $10,800 for a degree in painting. That cost grows by a lot to an average of $24,900 for an out-of-state public-school student. Our pick for the university constituting the best value for painting: [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university). On this page you will find our comprehensive list about the colleges we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspoverall. That being said, this discussion is based on being an out-of-state student. A discussion of value changes when in-state tuition is considered, but we do not know where you live (and are not trying to collect that kind of data).

 Earnings for painting majors range widely, but two years after leaving college students will regularly make around $48,900. There is much variation in earnings; highest paid earners can experience pay up to $90,000. Right out of college, the lowest earning positions within the painting field make $27,000, which could be worse. The top earning grads from painting come from [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university)&nbspand if you are looking for colleges with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The overall diversity of painting stands decent, falling in the 67th percentile of all majors. The school with the most composite diversity for painting is [Brigham Young University-Hawaii](/colleges/brigham-young-university-hawaii)&nbspand here you can find our general list of the universities which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The financial diversity of the Painting major only ranks within the 51st percentile compared to all other majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, in the 62nd percentile. White students make up the largest proportion at 57% of scholars majoring in painting. Additionally, 70% of scholars pursuing a painting degree are women.

 The median ranking for painting professors is 3.8 stars, a rating that is 5% lower than the median score across every major; which is a subpar ranking. If you want to find the most popular painting instructor in the country, take a look at Beth Baronian at [Savannah College of Art and Design](/colleges/savannah-college-of-art-and-design). It may come as a surprise, but the highest ranked instructors for painting according to students are at [Savannah College of Art and Design](/colleges/savannah-college-of-art-and-design). If we consider information other than just rankings it becomes clear that the school possessing comprehensively the best professors for painting is [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university). One can find more detail on our ever evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), as well as some of the best instructors nationwide.

 Finally, the hardest school to get into for painting is [College of the Ozarks](/colleges/college-of-the-ozarks). While we think of this list more as a novelty, we have a general list of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, we do hope you understand that looking at academics with a lens primarily built on superlatives can cause issues. We encourage you to read our other pages on different universities and read a few of our helpful background pages on beneficial things to look out for as your college search continues.



 ### POPULARITY

 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](/rankings/best-colleges-for-construction-engineering), and narrowly lost to #266 [Developmental and Child Psychology](/rankings/best-colleges-for-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](/rankings/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](/colleges/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](/colleges/pratt-institute-main) and [State University of New York at New Paltz](/colleges/state-university-of-new-york-at-new-paltz).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more painting graduates than [Wichita State University](/colleges/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](/colleges/escuela-de-artes-plasticas-y-diseno-de-puerto-rico) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Painting is the 162nd most expensive major in the US, with a median cost of $32,850 amongst the top 50 programs.

 The Great Lakes have the most expensive schools with excellent painting programs led by [Cleveland Institute of Art](/colleges/cleveland-institute-of-art) with an annual cost of $40,480. The most expensive state for painting is Rhode Island led by [Rhode Island School of Design](/colleges/rhode-island-school-of-design).

 Public schools with solid programs by and large charge 72.27% less than private schools for in-state students. When looking at out-of-state tuition however, the median top 50 Public school charges 35.86% less than your average private school. So, if you're looking into studying at a state school, make sure you qualify for in-state tuition sooner rather than later.

 The most expensive top 25 college for painting is [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university), which is the 62nd most expensive college in America. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German](/colleges/inter-american-university-of-puerto-rico-san-german). It costs just $4,560 per year, and it is ranked 23rd for its painting program. Another more affordable pick would be #19, [Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico](/colleges/escuela-de-artes-plasticas-y-diseno-de-puerto-rico) in San Juan Municipio, PR with a cost of $2,860 for in-state students and $5,020 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Starting college is a large investment for most. It's critical to be assured you expand your earning potential. We wish for the following earnings and job placement statistics to help you in deciding your focus at college.

 In year one out of college, Painting graduates generate $25,864 per annum on average (bottom 7%). With experience in their professional lives, they can make as high as $90,032 a year to as little as $27,001, but average near $48,889. To put it in context, that is 27% above the U.S. average.

 The most popular job title for a Painting graduate is Account Executive, which ordinarily make about $36,000; next are Sales Consultant and Consultant, which normally make close to $36,000 and $56,000 respectively.

 The most well paid region for Painting graduates is The Rocky Mountains. WY has the highest grossing Painting alumni of any state. The highest grossing conference for Painting graduates is Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Painting: Median Professor Rating: 3.8 / 5, which is below average.

 Instructors frequently have a pivotal impact your college experience, regardless of your major. A great instructor might help a student find their passion and even make a difficult subject seem easy. On the flip side, a bad experience with a professor can mess up your education or even worse... flunk you!

 Professors of Painting have a median student rating of 3.8 / 5, putting them in the bottom 17% in America based on overall professor quality. For context that's 5% south of the national median professor rating for all subjects. Professors of Painting slightly surpassed those from ["Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-management-sciences-and-quantitative-methods), whereas ["American Studies"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-american-studies)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Painting.

 Now for some statistics about Painting professors. Colleges located in remote towns tend to have the best Painting professors. The Colonial Athletic Association has the highest rated Painting professors. The Great Lakes region has the highest rated Painting professors. Public colleges tend to have higher rated Painting professors than private schools. Finally, Virginia has the highest rated Painting professors in the nation.

 Beth Baronian, professor at [Savannah College of Art and Design](/colleges/savannah-college-of-art-and-design)&nbspin Savannah, GA is the most popular Painting professor in the US. Kalasia Ojeh, professor at [University of Louisville](/colleges/university-of-louisville)&nbspin Louisville, KY is the highest rated Painting professor in the US, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 See which universities have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College can be an extremely consequential adventure in one's life; it's an occasion for individual growth and maturation. Students attempt to figure out their purpose and develop the required skills to become a flourishing adult. But learning also happens outside the classroom - the late nights discussing Marx with a schoolmate, the life lesson gained from an eccentric professor, the exposure to a different perspective. Therefore, attending a diverse college greatly enriches what you gain from your time spent at school.

 Painting is a slightly more ethnically diverse subject than average\*. 57% of the US' Painting majors are white students, followed by latino students (17%), students of other races\*\*(16%), and asian students (7%). The most racially diverse college\* in the top 100 is [University of Houston](/colleges/university-of-houston) located in Houston, TX.

 Secondly, Painting significatly skews female, with 70% of students majoring in Painting identifying as women. The most gender balanced school in the top 100 is [University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth](/colleges/university-of-massachusetts-dartmouth) in North Dartmouth, MA.

 Another substantial type of diversity is socioeconomic diversity. Painting is fairly close to the middle of the pack for socioeconomic diversity (49th percentile). 30% of its students come from families earning below $30,000 a year, 16% are from families earning between $30,000 and $48,000 a year, and 24% grew up in families who make over $110,000 per year. [University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth](/colleges/university-of-massachusetts-dartmouth) is the most financially diverse college in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall TX is the most diverse state for Painting. The Southwest is the most diverse region, and the Little East Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 7%
* Black: 4%
* Latino: 17%
* White: 57%
* Other: 16%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 30%
* Female: 70%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 30%
* 30k - 48k: 16%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 14%
* Over 110k: 24%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 67%
* Out of State: 26%
* International: 8%


2023 Painting Salary

There are about 2,175 students enrolled in Painting in the USA.

SALARY