Best Fine and Studio Arts Schools in California

California has 43 colleges offering Fine and Studio Arts programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 3,061 recent graduates. Graduates earn $26,201 on average within two years, roughly in line with the national average of $25,651.

School choice matters significantly: University of Southern California graduates earn $37,208 while Academy of Art University graduates earn $13,702 — a $23,506 gap. Research each program's curriculum, employer connections, and career services before deciding.

Schools in CA

$26,201

CA Avg. Earnings

$25,651

National Avg.

559

Schools Nationally

Public vs Private: Fine and Studio Arts in California

Public Schools (27)

$26,533

avg. 2yr earnings

Private Schools (15)

$26,473

avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools in California produce comparable or higher early earnings for Fine and Studio Arts graduates, often at lower cost — making them strong value options.

Fine and Studio Arts Schools in California, Ranked by Earnings

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$37,208

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,913

Graduates: 67

Acceptance: 10.0%

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA · Public

$45,082

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $39,354

Graduates: 58

Acceptance: 29.8%

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$36,848

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,503

Graduates: 46

Acceptance: 40.3%

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

$31,708

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,475

Graduates: 53

Acceptance: 11.7%

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public

$29,685

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $18,064

Graduates: 36

Acceptance: 24.5%

Biola University

La Mirada, CA · Private

$24,808

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,630

Graduates: 37

Acceptance: 60.1%

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

$27,048

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $21,605

Graduates: 74

Acceptance: 27.8%

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

$29,926

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,684

Graduates: 112

Acceptance: 8.7%

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA · Public

$32,772

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,968

Graduates: 116

Acceptance: 96.8%

#10

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA · Public

$23,351

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,023

Graduates: 26

Acceptance: 94.7%

#11

California State University-Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA · Public

$31,792

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,383

Graduates: 84

Acceptance: 93.1%

#12

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA · Public

$28,236

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,924

Graduates: 38

Acceptance: 93.7%

#13

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA · Public

$29,141

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,006

Graduates: 336

Acceptance: 86.7%

#14

California College of the Arts

San Francisco, CA · Private

$15,552

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,560

Graduates: 63

Acceptance: 73.4%

#15

California State University-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA · Public

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public

$25,467

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,974

Graduates: 432

Acceptance: 47.1%

#17

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA · Public

$24,791

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,598

Graduates: 286

Acceptance: 93.2%

#18

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

$30,336

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,781

Graduates: 100

Acceptance: 96.2%

#19

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public

$26,353

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,863

Graduates: 64

Acceptance: 93.6%

#20

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA · Public

$25,967

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $16,002

Graduates: 38

Acceptance: 97.5%

#21

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

$23,166

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $21,453

Graduates: 133

Acceptance: 91.9%

#22

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA · Public

$24,201

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,323

Graduates: 35

Acceptance: 63.3%

#23

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

$27,753

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,318

Graduates: 71

Acceptance: 41.6%

#24

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA · Public

$22,705

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,275

Graduates: 137

Acceptance: 62.5%

#25

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA · Public

$25,194

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,182

Graduates: 63

Acceptance: 96.4%

#26

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA · Public

$26,121

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,943

Graduates: 58

Acceptance: 25.6%

#27

Otis College of Art and Design

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$18,315

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $17,166

Graduates: 27

Acceptance: 84.0%

#28

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public

$16,940

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,994

Graduates: 37

Acceptance: 34.4%

#29

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA · Public

$18,315

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,861

Graduates: 79

Acceptance: 98.8%

#30

California State University-Monterey Bay

Seaside, CA · Public

$23,649

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,319

Graduates: 17

Acceptance: 94.8%

#31

Art Center College of Design

Pasadena, CA · Private

$20,140

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,536

Graduates: 17

Acceptance: 75.0%

#32

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA · Private

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA · Public

$30,336

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $31,231

Graduates: 155

Acceptance: 80.2%

#34

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA · Public

$20,530

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,538

Graduates: 57

Acceptance: 98.3%

#35

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, CA · Private

$28,960

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,203

Graduates: 54

Acceptance: 79.5%

#36

University of Redlands

Redlands, CA · Private

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, CA · Private

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $18,798

Graduates: 18

Acceptance: 25.9%

#38

Laguna College of Art and Design

Laguna Beach, CA · Private

Westmont College

Santa Barbara, CA · Private

Occidental College

Los Angeles, CA · Private

Northeastern University Oakland

Oakland, CA · Private

University of La Verne

La Verne, CA · Private

$24,035

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: 48.5%

#43

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, CA ·

$13,702

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,422

Graduates: 37

Acceptance: N/A

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Fine and Studio Arts in California?

University of Southern California ranks #1 for Fine and Studio Arts in California with median graduate earnings of $37,208 within two years of graduation. There are 43 schools offering Fine and Studio Arts programs in the state.

How much do Fine and Studio Arts graduates earn in California?

Fine and Studio Arts graduates in California earn an average of $26,201 within two years of graduation. This is 2% above the national average of $25,651 for this major.

What is the hardest Fine and Studio Arts school to get into in California?

University of California-Los Angeles is the most selective Fine and Studio Arts program in California with an acceptance rate of 8.7%. The average acceptance rate across Fine and Studio Arts programs in the state is 64.6%.

Should I attend a public or private school for Fine and Studio Arts in California?

In California, private Fine and Studio Arts programs produce average earnings of $26,473 vs $26,533 at public schools. However, public schools typically cost less — consider net price relative to earnings when calculating ROI. There are 27 public and 15 private options in the state.

Other Popular Majors in California

Construction Management $81,700 Construction Engineering $81,610 Construction Engineering Technologies $76,343 Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions $75,984 Computer Science $72,889 Computer Engineering $72,447 Dental Support Services and Allied Professions $71,074 Computer and Information Sciences, General $68,388

All colleges in California →

Fine and Studio Arts in Other States

New York Pennsylvania Ohio Texas Massachusetts Illinois Michigan North Carolina New Jersey Wisconsin Minnesota Florida View All →

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Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release.