Best Visual and Performing Arts Programs in the Northeast
Updated
Part of Best Art & Design Colleges in the Northeast
Regional list from Top Visual and Performing Arts Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 19 Visual and Performing Arts programs in the Northeast by median earnings of Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. Across the 15 schools with a published figure, median earnings range from $57,883 to $25,194, with a median of $40,199.
Champlain College ranks 1st on this list, reporting $57,883 for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing. The gap between the top two programs is $8,708.
Public institutions account for 58% of the list, with 11 public and 8 private nonprofit schools represented. Worcester State University posts the lowest average net price at $13,381, while Cornell University ranks 47th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Champlain College · Burlington, VT | $57,883 | $35,860 | $28,885 | 82.9% |
| Champlain College ranks 1st on this list with median earnings of $57,883 for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 83%. | |||||
| 2 | Lesley University · Cambridge, MA | $49,175 | $31,152 | $24,799 | 96.9% |
| Lesley University posts an average net price of $31,152 and a median federal debt of $19,625 among Visual and Performing Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 3 | SUNY Oneonta · Oneonta, NY | $47,321 | $19,158 | $11,044 | 69.6% |
| SUNY Oneonta, a public university in Oneonta, reports median earnings of $47,321 for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Columbia University in the City of New York · New York, NY | No published median | $21,590 | $4,570 | 4.0% |
| Columbia University in the City of New York admits 4% of applicants and carries an average net price of $4,570 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 5 | New York University · New York, NY | No published median | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
| New York University ranks 146th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports a median federal debt of $23,250 among Visual and Performing Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $45,170 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus shows median earnings of $45,170 for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing, with 9 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 7 | Ramapo College of New Jersey · Mahwah, NJ | $43,063 | $18,173 | $9,008 | 70.6% |
| Ramapo College of New Jersey carries an average net price of $9,008 for families earning under $30,000 and a median federal debt of $22,719 among Visual and Performing Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 8 | Temple University · Philadelphia, PA | $42,731 | $28,198 | $22,694 | 80.4% |
| Temple University ranks 125th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $42,731 for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | State University of New York at New Paltz · New Paltz, NY | $41,097 | $18,809 | $10,541 | 61.6% |
| State University of New York at New Paltz posts an admission rate of 62% and a median federal debt of $18,000 among Visual and Performing Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 10 | Stockton University · Galloway, NJ | $40,199 | $20,670 | $15,135 | 88.9% |
| Stockton University reports median earnings of $40,199 for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $20,670. | |||||
| 11 | Bennington College · Bennington, VT | $39,958 | $30,947 | $18,480 | 44.5% |
| Bennington College, a private nonprofit college in Bennington, admits 45% of applicants and carries a median federal debt of $27,000 among Visual and Performing Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 12 | SUNY at Purchase College · Purchase, NY | $39,791 | $18,913 | $11,835 | 74.1% |
| SUNY at Purchase College ranks 907th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and posts an average net price of $11,835 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 13 | Worcester State University · Worcester, MA | $39,037 | $13,381 | $8,793 | 88.0% |
| Worcester State University reports $39,037 in median earnings for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $13,381. | |||||
| 14 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth · North Dartmouth, MA | $38,676 | $20,927 | $15,976 | 90.6% |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth ranks 14th on this list, with median federal debt of $15,000 among Visual and Performing Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 15 | SUNY College at Potsdam · Potsdam, NY | $33,743 | $13,624 | $8,623 | 77.7% |
| SUNY College at Potsdam posts a median of $33,743 for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $8,623 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 16 | Long Island University · Brookville, NY | $32,382 | $33,062 | $22,019 | 86.2% |
| A private nonprofit university in Brookville, Long Island University admits 86% of applicants and ranks 959th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 17 | Nazareth University · Rochester, NY | No published median | $29,357 | $22,796 | 74.7% |
| Nazareth University ranks 1343rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 75% of applicants. | |||||
| 18 | Cornell University · Ithaca, NY | No published median | $28,690 | $1,776 | 8.8% |
| Cornell University carries an average net price of $1,776 for families earning under $30,000 and admits 9% of applicants. | |||||
| 19 | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts · North Adams, MA | $25,194 | $16,068 | $9,845 | 89.7% |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts reports $25,194 in median earnings for its Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 90%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Visual and Performing Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Northeast appear. The figure reflects federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 2 of the 19 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 range and median below cover the 15 schools with a published figure. Champlain College leads Lesley University by $8,708, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom is $32,689.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in the Northeast
- Best Art & Design Colleges in the Northeast
- Art & Design Colleges in the Northeast for Social Mobility