Best Schools for Visual & Performing Arts in 2026
59 schools ranked by DegreeWorth Score · Updated 2026
These are the top schools offering Visual & Performing Arts, ranked by DegreeWorth Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Visual & Performing Arts graduate earns $25,525/yr across 59 schools.
Programs Ranked
59
Avg Earnings
$25,525/yr
Avg DW Score
39/100
AI Risk
High
40% task exposure
All Visual & Performing Arts Programs Ranked
Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.
| # | Program | DW Score | Earnings | AI Risk | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Central Florida · Orlando, FL |
54
47–58 |
$28,878/yr | High | 25.9x |
| 2 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Florida-Online · Gainesville, FL |
56
53–57 |
$30,629/yr | High | 18.8x |
| 3 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA |
52
47–56 |
$27,636/yr | High | 19.9x |
| 4 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Florida · Gainesville, FL |
51
49–51 |
$30,629/yr | High | 11.0x |
| 5 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Albany State University · Albany, GA |
51
49–51 |
$29,798/yr | High | 11.6x |
| 6 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of North Carolina Asheville · Asheville, NC |
45
39–51 |
$23,023/yr | High | 14.1x |
| 7 |
Visual & Performing Arts
California State University-San Marcos · San Marcos, CA |
47
43–50 |
$27,741/yr | High | 12.3x |
| 8 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA |
48
45–49 |
$51,248/yr | High | 1.1x |
| 9 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater · Whitewater, WI |
46
43–49 |
$28,226/yr | High | 11.5x |
| 10 |
Visual & Performing Arts
SUNY Oneonta · Oneonta, NY |
42
34–50 |
$19,135/yr | High | 12.6x |
| 11 |
Visual & Performing Arts
George Mason University · Fairfax, VA |
44
40–48 |
$31,941/yr | High | 8.5x |
| 12 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Longwood University · Farmville, VA |
45
42–47 |
$34,812/yr | High | 6.5x |
| 13 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Mississippi State University · Mississippi State, MS |
42
37–48 |
$24,752/yr | High | 10.8x |
| 14 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM |
44
40–47 |
$25,286/yr | High | 11.0x |
| 15 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Colorado Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs, CO |
45
44–44 |
$30,966/yr | High | 7.3x |
| 16 |
Visual & Performing Arts
The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX |
43
40–45 |
$29,707/yr | High | 8.2x |
| 17 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Jackson State University · Jackson, MS |
41
37–45 |
$23,555/yr | High | 9.9x |
| 18 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Fordham University · Bronx, NY |
42
38–44 |
$41,165/yr | High | 0.7x |
| 19 |
Visual & Performing Arts
State University of New York at New Paltz · New Paltz, NY |
40
35–45 |
$19,893/yr | High | 9.8x |
| 20 |
Visual & Performing Arts
The University of Tennessee-Martin · Martin, TN |
41
37–43 |
$25,660/yr | High | 8.2x |
| 21 |
Visual & Performing Arts
The University of Texas at Dallas · Richardson, TX |
41
36–44 |
$28,494/yr | High | 7.1x |
| 22 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ |
39
33–45 |
$22,817/yr | High | 8.9x |
| 23 |
Visual & Performing Arts
New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM |
39
34–44 |
$18,470/yr | High | 9.5x |
| 24 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Missouri-Columbia · Columbia, MO |
40
38–42 |
$29,775/yr | High | 4.3x |
| 25 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Southeast Missouri State University · Cape Girardeau, MO |
40
39–41 |
$26,668/yr | High | 6.2x |
| 26 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Houston-Downtown · Houston, TX |
39
36–41 |
$19,527/yr | High | 8.2x |
| 27 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Mary Washington · Fredericksburg, VA |
40
37–41 |
$29,130/yr | High | 4.8x |
| 28 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Wichita State University · Wichita, KS |
38
34–40 |
$20,013/yr | High | 7.2x |
| 29 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Salem State University · Salem, MA |
38
35–41 |
$24,699/yr | High | 6.5x |
| 30 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Delta State University · Cleveland, MS |
40
39–41 |
$24,839/yr | High | 6.2x |
| 31 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Grand Canyon University · Phoenix, AZ |
37
32–40 |
$24,691/yr | High | 5.2x |
| 32 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Kentucky · Lexington, KY |
38
35–39 |
$26,343/yr | High | 4.0x |
| 33 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Stockton University · Galloway, NJ |
36
31–40 |
$20,705/yr | High | 5.7x |
| 34 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Toledo · Toledo, OH |
39
36–40 |
$26,625/yr | High | 4.4x |
| 35 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Southern Oregon University · Ashland, OR |
36
31–40 |
$17,228/yr | High | 6.3x |
| 36 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Siena College · Loudonville, NY |
37
34–38 |
$34,017/yr | High | 0.9x |
| 37 |
Visual & Performing Arts
SUNY at Purchase College · Purchase, NY |
38
36–39 |
$22,024/yr | High | 5.1x |
| 38 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus · Bowling Green, OH |
36
31–40 |
$18,819/yr | High | 5.9x |
| 39 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Bennington College · Bennington, VT |
29
24–31 |
$20,809/yr | High | -0.2x |
| 40 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Christopher Newport University · Newport News, VA |
36
32–39 |
$23,656/yr | High | 4.5x |
| 41 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Arizona State University Digital Immersion · Scottsdale, AZ |
37
32–39 |
$22,817/yr | High | — |
| 42 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Academy of Art University · San Francisco, CA |
36
32–37 |
$28,494/yr | High | 2.5x |
| 43 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth · North Dartmouth, MA |
37
34–38 |
$25,753/yr | High | 3.2x |
| 44 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Pacific Northwest College of Art · Portland, OR |
28
24–30 |
$13,895/yr | High | -0.3x |
| 45 |
Visual & Performing Arts
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · East Stroudsburg, PA |
37
34–38 |
$22,349/yr | High | 4.1x |
| 46 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Advancing Technology · Tempe, AZ |
37
34–38 |
$27,824/yr | High | 2.6x |
| 47 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Temple University · Philadelphia, PA |
34
28–37 |
$20,667/yr | High | 3.5x |
| 48 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Champlain College · Burlington, VT |
34
30–36 |
$30,138/yr | High | 1.4x |
| 49 |
Visual & Performing Arts
University of Louisiana at Lafayette · Lafayette, LA |
35
31–36 |
$16,871/yr | High | 3.0x |
| 50 |
Visual & Performing Arts
Otis College of Art and Design · Los Angeles, CA |
30
25–38 |
$21,558/yr | High | 2.3x |
Methodology
Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (10-year projected earnings vs. 4-year tuition).
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school for Visual & Performing Arts?
Based on our DegreeWorth Score, University of Central Florida ranks #1 for Visual & Performing Arts with a score of 54/100 and graduate earnings of $28,878/yr.
How much do Visual & Performing Arts graduates earn?
Across 59 schools, Visual & Performing Arts graduates earn an average of $25,525/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $51,248/yr.
Is Visual & Performing Arts a good major for AI resistance?
Visual & Performing Arts has an average AI task exposure of 40%, rated "High". This field has moderate AI exposure — some career paths are more resilient than others.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Last updated 2025.