Best Visual and Performing Arts Programs in California
Updated
Part of Top Art & Design Colleges in California by Earnings
This page ranks the 7 Visual and Performing Arts programs in California by the median earnings of Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing. California State University-San Marcos leads the list at $48,043, followed by Otis College of Art and Design at $47,220.
The median across the listed schools is $36,674, with figures ranging from $48,043 to $22,455.
The list includes 3 public and 4 private nonprofit institutions. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
California State University-Channel Islands posts the lowest average net price on the page at $9,849.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-San Marcos · San Marcos, CA | $48,043 | $10,229 | $6,230 | 95.1% |
| California State University-San Marcos reports median earnings of $48,043 for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing, with 76 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 2 | Otis College of Art and Design · Los Angeles, CA | $47,220 | $51,248 | $44,731 | 81.8% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Los Angeles, Otis College of Art and Design admits 82% of applicants and its Visual and Performing Arts graduates earn a median of $47,220 four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $45,915 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
| University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Visual and Performing Arts graduates earn a median of $45,915 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $36,674 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| With an admission rate of 10%, University of Southern California posts an average net price of $32,740 and median earnings of $36,674 for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | University of San Francisco · San Francisco, CA | $27,823 | $41,431 | $31,537 | 61.7% |
| University of San Francisco reports an average net price of $31,537 for families earning under $30,000, and its Visual and Performing Arts graduates earn a median of $27,823 four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | California State University-Channel Islands · Camarillo, CA | $25,194 | $9,849 | $6,857 | 94.8% |
| California State University-Channel Islands carries the lowest average net price on the page at $9,849, and its Visual and Performing Arts graduates earn a median of $25,194 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Azusa Pacific University · Azusa, CA | $22,455 | $22,212 | $15,781 | 88.4% |
| Azusa Pacific University ranks 7th on this list, with median earnings of $22,455 for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 88%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. For 4 of the 7 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from California State University-San Marcos to the lowest-ranked program is $25,588.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in California
- Top Art & Design Colleges in California by Earnings
- Art & Design Colleges in California for Social Mobility