Visual and Performing Arts at Northwestern University
In 2023, 177 of the 2,160 students who finished a bachelor's degree at Northwestern University did so in visual and performing arts: 8.2% of the class and the 6th most common major on campus. Nationally, 4.63% of bachelor's degrees are in this field, so it is more concentrated at Northwestern University (1.8x the national share). 59% of those graduates were women.
Is visual and performing arts competitive at Northwestern University?
Colleges report one admission rate for the whole school; here is the bar you are actually measured against, and how the model treats this major.
Northwestern University admitted 3,703 of 51,769 applicants for fall 2023 (8%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1510 to 1570 on the SAT. Colleges report admissions at the school level, not by major, so there is no published acceptance rate for visual and performing arts at Northwestern University. CollegeCalcAI's model applies no major adjustment for this field: admission turns on the school-wide profile, not the intended major.
How to apply to Northwestern University for visual and performing arts
What readers look for from applicants who declare this field, at any selectivity.
- A portfolio or audition where the program asks for one; that outweighs most academics
- Sustained work in the discipline over years, not a senior-year addition
- Academic rigor still matters at selective universities with strong arts programs
- Run your odds with the major set: your estimate at Northwestern University for visual and performing arts →
Where else to study visual and performing arts
Other colleges in Illinois and at a similar selectivity that award bachelor's degrees in this field.
Every college ranked by visual and performing arts graduates: colleges that graduate the most visual and performing arts majors → · Visual and Performing Arts colleges in Illinois →
More majors at Northwestern University
The other fields Northwestern University graduates the most students in, 2023.
Questions about visual and performing arts at Northwestern University
How many students major in visual and performing arts at Northwestern University?
177 students earned a bachelor's degree in visual and performing arts at Northwestern University in 2023, 8.2% of that year's 2,160 graduates (IPEDS completions, first majors).
Is visual and performing arts competitive at Northwestern University?
Northwestern University admitted 3,703 of 51,769 applicants for fall 2023 (8%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1510 to 1570 on the SAT. Colleges report admissions at the school level, not by major, so there is no published acceptance rate for visual and performing arts at Northwestern University. CollegeCalcAI's model applies no major adjustment for this field: admission turns on the school-wide profile, not the intended major.
What is the acceptance rate for visual and performing arts at Northwestern University?
There is no official major-level acceptance rate; Northwestern University reports one school-wide figure, 8%. Some programs (direct-admit nursing, engineering and business schools) select separately and can be more selective than the school overall. CollegeCalcAI's calculator applies its published per-major adjustment and shows your estimate for this school with the major set.
Is Northwestern University known for visual and performing arts?
By output, visual and performing arts is the 6th most common field at Northwestern University and more concentrated there than at the average U.S. college (8.2% of graduates versus 4.63% nationally).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 Completions (bachelor's degrees, first majors, CIP 2-digit series). Admissions counts: IPEDS 2023. Built 2026-09-19. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are not predictions or guarantees.