Visual and Performing Arts colleges in Illinois, ranked by graduates
26 colleges in Illinois awarded at least 10 bachelor's degrees in visual and performing arts in 2023: 1,950 degrees, 4.9% of all bachelor's degrees at those colleges (4.3% across every college CollegeCalcAI tracks). DePaul University graduated the most (483, 15.8% of its class). 7 of the 26 are public universities. The median acceptance rate among them is 71%; the most selective is University of Chicago at 4%.
Visual and Performing Arts colleges in Illinois
Every Illinois college awarding at least 10 bachelor's degrees in visual and performing arts, ranked by 2023 graduates. Click a college for its visual and performing arts page.
| # | College | Type | Degrees (2023) | Share of grads | Acceptance rate | SAT 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DePaul University | Private | 483 | 15.8% | 76% | 1280 |
| 2 | Illinois State University | Public | 218 | 4.8% | 88% | 1220 |
| 3 | University of Illinois | Public | 193 | 2.2% | 42% | 1480 |
| 4 | Northwestern University | Private | 177 | 8.2% | 8% | 1560 |
| 5 | Northern Illinois University | Public | 123 | 5% | 70% | 1180 |
| 6 | Millikin University | Private | 72 | 22% | 67% | 1230 |
| 7 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Public | 69 | 3.5% | 98% | 1180 |
| 8 | Western Illinois University | Public | 62 | 5.6% | 71% | 1060 |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University | Public | 59 | 3.3% | 87% | 1150 |
| 10 | Loyola University Chicago | Private | 56 | 2.2% | 82% | 1330 |
| 11 | Elmhurst University | Private | 49 | 6.6% | 74% | 1230 |
| 12 | North Central College | Private | 41 | 7.4% | 77% | 1250 |
| 13 | University of Chicago | Private | 41 | 2.1% | 4% | 1570 |
| 14 | Illinois Wesleyan University | Private | 38 | 11.1% | 39% | 1300 |
| 15 | Bradley University | Private | 36 | 3.9% | 77% | 1260 |
| 16 | Eastern Illinois University | Public | 35 | 3.2% | 65% | 1080 |
| 17 | Wheaton College (IL) | Private | 35 | 6.8% | 87% | 1230 |
| 18 | Olivet Nazarene University | Private | 30 | 5.8% | 56% | 1200 |
| 19 | Aurora University | Private | 22 | 1.8% | 81% | 1230 |
| 20 | Lake Forest College | Private | 21 | 5% | 57% | 1270 |
| 21 | Saint Xavier University | Private | 21 | 3.1% | 84% | 1120 |
| 22 | Knox College | Private | 18 | 8% | 71% | 1280 |
| 23 | Augustana College | Private | 17 | 3.7% | 63% | 1280 |
| 24 | Lewis University | Private | 13 | 1.4% | 71% | 1150 |
| 25 | Judson University | Private | 11 | 6.6% | 48% | 1150 |
| 26 | North Park University | Private | 10 | 2.8% | 69% | 1230 |
Questions about visual and performing arts colleges in Illinois
What is the best college for visual and performing arts in Illinois?
By bachelor's degrees awarded in 2023, the largest visual and performing arts programs in Illinois are DePaul University (483), Illinois State University (218), University of Illinois (193). "Best" depends on your profile: this page ranks every Illinois college in the field by output and shows each one's acceptance rate and admitted SAT so you can match it to your own numbers.
How many colleges in Illinois offer visual and performing arts?
26 four-year colleges in Illinois awarded 10 or more bachelor's degrees in visual and performing arts in 2023, 7 public and 19 private, for 1,950 graduates in total.
Is in-state status an advantage for visual and performing arts in Illinois?
At the 7 public universities on this list, Illinois residents are usually admitted at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants and pay in-state tuition. CollegeCalcAI applies the residency effect when you set your home state, and the per-major adjustment when you set the major.
Visual and Performing Arts elsewhere
The same field in other states, and the national ranking.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 Completions (bachelor's degrees, first majors, CIP 2-digit series), joined to CollegeCalcAI's admissions dataset. Built 2026-09-19. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are not predictions or guarantees.