Best colleges for Fine and Studio Arts in New York
Ranked by graduate earnings
Columbia University, Barnard College and Fordham University are the top bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts programs in New York by graduate earnings. Columbia University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $51,435, College Scorecard. Pratt Institute, Bard College and CUNY Hunter College award the most Fine and Studio Arts degrees in New York: 235, 197 and 169 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 99 New York colleges offer Fine and Studio Arts and award 3,569 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Fine and Studio Arts program focuses on the practice and theory of visual arts and design, encompassing various disciplines such as illustration, painting, sculpture, and graphic design. This program is ideal for students who are…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $51,435 | 82 | 96% | $15,315 | $26,853 |
| 2 | Barnard College New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,947 | 24 | 93% | $24,675 | $18,750 |
| 3 | Fordham University Bronx Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,929 | 49 | 82% | $38,931 | $24,495 |
| 4 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $32,636 | 39 | 84% | $28,851 | $27,000 |
| 5 | Marist University Poughkeepsie Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $31,907 | 55 | 80% | $33,867 | $25,529 |
| 6 | Cornell University Ithaca Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $31,073 | 56 | 95% | $17,613 | $17,153 |
| 7 | Skidmore College Saratoga Springs Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $30,480 | 46 | 83% | $25,238 | $18,500 |
| 8 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,582 | 53 | 51% | — | $9,630 |
| 9 | SUNY Oneonta Oneonta Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,031 | 21 | 69% | — | — |
| 10 | SUNY Brockport Brockport Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,855 | 20 | 55% | — | $23,000 |
Top 4 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gemological Institute of America-New York New York Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $36,639 | 304 | 89% | $35,098 | $8,233 |
| 2 | CUNY Queensborough Community College Bayside Public · Associate degree Small program | $16,739 | 17 | 24% | — | — |
| 3 | CUNY LaGuardia Community College Long Island City Public · Associate degree | $14,920 | 49 | 24% | — | $8,750 |
| 4 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College New York Public · Associate degree | $13,559 | 66 | 25% | — | $9,500 |
Colleges awarding the most Fine and Studio Arts degrees in New York
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pratt Institute Brooklyn Private not-for-profit | 235 | $18,451 |
| 2 | Bard College Annandale-On-Hudson Private not-for-profit | 197 | $19,327 |
| 3 | CUNY Hunter College New York Public | 169 | $22,788 |
| 4 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit | 138 | $25,053 |
| 5 | The New School New York Private not-for-profit | 133 | $20,967 |
| 6 | Fashion Institute of Technology New York Public | 129 | $23,428 |
| 7 | CUNY City College New York Public | 120 | $24,742 |
| 8 | School of Visual Arts New York Private for-profit | 109 | $21,344 |
| 9 | Alfred University Alfred Private not-for-profit | 90 | $22,912 |
| 10 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit | 82 | $51,435 |
ShowHide the other 89 New York colleges offering Fine and Studio Arts
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemological Institute of America-New York | New York | Private not-for-profit | 304 |
| Binghamton University | Vestal | Public | 76 |
| Sotheby's Institute of Art-NY (Graduate only) | New York | Private for-profit | 70 |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | New York | Public | 66 |
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo | Public | 66 |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | Brooklyn | Public | 65 |
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | New York | Private not-for-profit | 62 |
| SUNY at Purchase College | Purchase | Public | 59 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca | Private not-for-profit | 56 |
| New York Academy of Art (Graduate only) | New York | Private not-for-profit | 56 |
| Marist University | Poughkeepsie | Private not-for-profit | 55 |
| CUNY Lehman College | Bronx | Public | 53 |
| State University of New York at Oswego | Oswego | Public | 52 |
| Stony Brook University | Stony Brook | Public | 50 |
| State University of New York at New Paltz | New Paltz | Public | 50 |
| CUNY LaGuardia Community College | Long Island City | Public | 49 |
| Fordham University | Bronx | Private not-for-profit | 49 |
| Empire State University (Degree completion) | Saratoga Springs | Public | 47 |
| Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs | Private not-for-profit | 46 |
| University at Albany | Albany | Public | 41 |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Private not-for-profit | 39 |
| Pace University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 38 |
| Onondaga Community College | Syracuse | Public | 35 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 30 |
| Studio Jewelers | New York | Private for-profit | 30 |
| Nassau Community College | Garden City | Public | 29 |
| CUNY Queens College | Queens | Public | 26 |
| Erie Community College | Buffalo | Public | 25 |
| Barnard College | New York | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| CUNY Kingsborough Community College | Brooklyn | Public | 24 |
| Hamilton College | Clinton | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| College of Staten Island CUNY | Staten Island | Public | 21 |
| SUNY Oneonta | Oneonta | Public | 21 |
| Vassar College | Poughkeepsie | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| SUNY Brockport | Brockport | Public | 20 |
| Teachers College at Columbia University (Graduate only) | New York | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University | Buffalo | Public | 18 |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center (Online) | New York | Public | 17 |
| CUNY Queensborough Community College | Bayside | Public | 17 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Jamestown Community College | Jamestown | Public | 15 |
| St Lawrence University | Canton | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Finger Lakes Community College | Canandaigua | Public | 11 |
| Hartwick College | Oneonta | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Hudson Valley Community College | Troy | Public | 11 |
| Ithaca College | Ithaca | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Monroe Community College | Rochester | Public | 11 |
| State University of New York at Plattsburgh | Plattsburgh | Public | 11 |
| Dutchess Community College | Poughkeepsie | Public | 10 |
| University of Rochester | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Colgate University | Hamilton | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Mohawk Valley Community College | Utica | Public | 9 |
| Russell Sage College | Troy | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Houghton University | Houghton | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Marymount Manhattan College | New York | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Nazareth University | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Union College | Schenectady | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Niagara County Community College | Sanborn | Public | 7 |
| SUNY at Fredonia | Fredonia | Public | 7 |
| SUNY College at Potsdam | Potsdam | Public | 7 |
| Cayuga County Community College | Auburn | Public | 6 |
| SUNY Corning Community College | Corning | Public | 6 |
| Daemen University | Amherst | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges | Geneva | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Keuka College | Keuka Park | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Manhattanville University | Purchase | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Molloy University | Rockville Centre | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Siena University | Loudonville | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Villa Maria College | Buffalo | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| SUNY Adirondack | Queensbury | Public | 5 |
| Rockland Community College | Suffern | Public | 5 |
| CUNY York College | Jamaica | Public | 4 |
| Genesee Community College | Batavia | Public | 4 |
| Herkimer County Community College | Herkimer | Public | 4 |
| SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | Alfred | Public | 4 |
| State University of New York at Cortland | Cortland | Public | 4 |
| Elmira College | Elmira | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Long Island University | Brookville | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| St. John's University - New York | Queens | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Simon's Rock at Bard College | Barrytown | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Columbia-Greene Community College | Hudson | Public | 2 |
| Niagara University | Niagara University | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Roberts Wesleyan University | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| St. Joseph's University - New York | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Wagner College | Staten Island | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Adelphi University | Garden City | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Fulton-Montgomery Community College | Johnstown | Public | 1 |
| Manhattan University | Riverdale | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| SUNY College at Geneseo | Geneseo | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators (SOC 27-1013).
Top skills
What Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators earn in New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Fine and Studio Arts programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Fine and Studio Arts degrees?+
Pratt Institute (235 graduates a year), Bard College (197 graduates a year) and CUNY Hunter College (169 graduates a year) award the most Fine and Studio Arts degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 99 New York colleges offer Fine and Studio Arts.
What is the best college for Fine and Studio Arts in New York?+
By graduate earnings, Columbia University leads among bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $51,435, College Scorecard. Barnard College and Fordham University follow. By degrees awarded, Pratt Institute is the largest, with 235 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Fine and Studio Arts program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Columbia University tops the list at $51,435. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators earn in New York?+
The average annual wage for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in New York is $90,650 (median $78,870), across about 1,400 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Fine and Studio Arts program?+
The Fine and Studio Arts program focuses on the practice and theory of visual arts and design, encompassing various disciplines such as illustration, painting, sculpture, and graphic design. This program is ideal for students who are…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active learning, active listening, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators?+
The national job outlook is about -1.2% growth with around 2,200 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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