Painting is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 69 schools to find the best for painting students.
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Choosing a Great Painting School
The school you choose for painting can shape your career. To help, we created our Best Painting Schools rankings. For our Best Overall Painting School ranking, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
To find the best fit, you can narrow this list to a specific degree level below.
We offer several rankings, including this Best Painting Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
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ADBLOCK #171
Best Schools for Painting in the United States
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the painting degrees they offer, see the list below.
University Of Houston is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in painting. Located in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public university. Roughly 65% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Houston awarded about 24 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Painting graduates of University Of Houston earn a median of $26,482 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $21,845 to complete this degree.
Get the full painting details for University Of Houston
Boston University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best painting schools. Located in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Roughly 89% of students complete a degree within six years here. Boston University awarded about 24 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their painting degree from Boston University earn around $27,226 in the first couple years of their career. Boston University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
More information about a degree in painting from Boston University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in painting, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public institution. Virginia Commonwealth University graduates 63% of students within six years. Virginia Commonwealth University awarded about 34 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their painting degree from Virginia Commonwealth University earn around $20,934 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,374.
Read more about the painting program at Virginia Commonwealth University
A rank of #4 makes Massachusetts College Of Art And Design one of the top schools for painting. This mid-sized public university is located in the city of Boston. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 29 painting students who graduated with this degree at Massachusetts College Of Art And Design in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Massachusetts College Of Art And Design generally make around $38,090. Typical student debt for the program is $26,000.
Get the full painting details for Massachusetts College Of Art And Design
Temple University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best painting schools. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Temple University is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 75%. Temple University awarded about 18 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their painting degree from Temple University earn around $24,558 in the first couple years of their career. Temple University graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans.
Get the full painting details for Temple University
Pratt Institute Main landed the #6 spot for painting this year. Set in the city of Brooklyn, Pratt Institute Main is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 74% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 53 painting degrees were awarded at Pratt Institute Main in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Pratt Institute Main generally make around $25,616. Pratt Institute Main graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
More information about a degree in painting from Pratt Institute Main
Maryland Institute College Of Art came in at #7 for painting this year. Located in the city of Baltimore, Maryland Institute College Of Art is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Maryland Institute College Of Art graduates 72% of students within six years. Maryland Institute College Of Art awarded about 38 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Maryland Institute College Of Art generally make around $25,693. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
Get the full painting details for Maryland Institute College Of Art
State University Of New York At New Paltz earned the #8 position for painting this year. Located in the town of New Paltz, State University Of New York At New Paltz is a moderately-sized public university. About 72% of students finish within six years. About 18 painting degrees were awarded at State University Of New York At New Paltz in the most recent year. Students who receive their painting degree from State University Of New York At New Paltz earn around $18,842 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,562.
Read more about the painting program at State University Of New York At New Paltz
Savannah College Of Art And Design came in at #9 for painting this year. Savannah College Of Art And Design is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Savannah. Savannah College Of Art And Design graduates 69% of students within six years. Savannah College Of Art And Design awarded about 67 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Painting graduates of Savannah College Of Art And Design earn a median of $30,812 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
More information about a degree in painting from Savannah College Of Art And Design
Rhode Island School Of Design ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best painting schools. Located in the city of Providence, Rhode Island School Of Design is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Roughly 89% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 48 painting degrees were awarded at Rhode Island School Of Design in the most recent year. Graduates of the painting program make about $22,396 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
Get the full painting details for Rhode Island School Of Design
Suny At Purchase College earned the #11 position for painting this year. Set in the suburb of Purchase, Suny At Purchase College is a mid-sized public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 63%. About 21 painting degrees were awarded at Suny At Purchase College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Suny At Purchase College generally make around $14,984. Typical student debt for the program is $23,850.
Read more about the painting program at Suny At Purchase College
Kansas City Art Institute came in at #12 for painting this year. Located in the city of Kansas City, Kansas City Art Institute is a small private not-for-profit university. Kansas City Art Institute graduates 58% of students within six years. About 12 painting degrees were awarded at Kansas City Art Institute in the most recent year. Painting graduates of Kansas City Art Institute earn a median of $22,906 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in painting from Kansas City Art Institute
California College Of The Arts landed the #13 spot for painting this year. California College Of The Arts is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco. Roughly 61% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 15 painting degrees were awarded at California College Of The Arts in the most recent year. Graduates of the painting program make about $21,093 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $29,250 to complete this degree.
See the full painting program report for California College Of The Arts
Maine College Of Art placed #14 among the best painting schools. Maine College Of Art is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Portland. The six-year graduation rate is 52%. About 10 painting degrees were awarded at Maine College Of Art in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Maine College Of Art generally make around $27,255. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in painting from Maine College Of Art
Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best painting schools. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Philadelphia. About 58% of students finish within six years. Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts awarded about 11 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Painting graduates of Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts earn a median of $17,887 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,750 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in painting from Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts
Art Academy Of Cincinnati landed the #16 spot for painting this year. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Cincinnati. The six-year graduation rate is 41%. Art Academy Of Cincinnati awarded about 12 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the painting program make about $13,252 in their early career. Art Academy Of Cincinnati graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
See the full painting program report for Art Academy Of Cincinnati
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 69 schools evaluated.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
