Visual and Performing Arts colleges in Massachusetts, ranked by graduates
25 colleges in Massachusetts awarded at least 10 bachelor's degrees in visual and performing arts in 2023: 1,811 degrees, 4.9% of all bachelor's degrees at those colleges (4.3% across every college CollegeCalcAI tracks). Emerson College graduated the most (595, 57% of its class). 3 of the 25 are public universities. The median acceptance rate among them is 41%; the most selective is Harvard University at 4%.
Visual and Performing Arts colleges in Massachusetts
Every Massachusetts 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 | Emerson College | Private | 595 | 57% | 51% | 1230 |
| 2 | Boston University | Private | 156 | 3.5% | 11% | 1500 |
| 3 | Tufts University | Private | 135 | 8.3% | 11% | 1530 |
| 4 | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Public | 127 | 2% | 60% | 1380 |
| 5 | Northeastern University | Private | 104 | 2.2% | 5% | 1530 |
| 6 | UMass Lowell | Public | 93 | 3.4% | 83% | 1320 |
| 7 | Suffolk University | Private | 71 | 7.2% | 82% | 1230 |
| 8 | Mount Holyoke College | Private | 60 | 12% | 36% | 1380 |
| 9 | Bridgewater State University | Public | 53 | 3.3% | 88% | 1130 |
| 10 | Smith College | Private | 50 | 8.1% | 21% | 1440 |
| 11 | Clark University | Private | 44 | 8.9% | 40% | 1230 |
| 12 | Harvard University | Private | 42 | 2.2% | 4% | 1580 |
| 13 | Wheaton College (MA) | Private | 40 | 11% | 68% | 1250 |
| 14 | Williams College | Private | 32 | 6.5% | 8% | 1530 |
| 15 | Brandeis University | Private | 29 | 3.9% | 41% | 1460 |
| 16 | Wellesley College | Private | 28 | 4.7% | 14% | 1500 |
| 17 | Boston College | Private | 27 | 1.1% | 16% | 1520 |
| 18 | Endicott College | Private | 25 | 3.5% | 71% | 1220 |
| 19 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Private | 20 | 1.7% | 60% | 1440 |
| 20 | Amherst College | Private | 19 | 3.9% | 9% | 1540 |
| 21 | Gordon College | Private | 15 | 4.9% | 69% | 1250 |
| 22 | Curry College | Private | 12 | 3% | 88% | 1080 |
| 23 | Emmanuel College (MA) | Private | 12 | 2.9% | 76% | 1230 |
| 24 | College of the Holy Cross | Private | 11 | 1.5% | 18% | 1400 |
| 25 | Springfield College | Private | 11 | 2.2% | 72% | 1210 |
Questions about visual and performing arts colleges in Massachusetts
What is the best college for visual and performing arts in Massachusetts?
By bachelor's degrees awarded in 2023, the largest visual and performing arts programs in Massachusetts are Emerson College (595), Boston University (156), Tufts University (135). "Best" depends on your profile: this page ranks every Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts offer visual and performing arts?
25 four-year colleges in Massachusetts awarded 10 or more bachelor's degrees in visual and performing arts in 2023, 3 public and 22 private, for 1,811 graduates in total.
Is in-state status an advantage for visual and performing arts in Massachusetts?
At the 3 public universities on this list, Massachusetts 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.