ADBLOCK #102
College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Mississippi

5 Colleges in the United States
641 Visual & Performing Arts Degrees Awarded
$31,674 Avg Early-Career Salary

Visual & Performing Arts degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 25 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for visual & performing arts students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

ADBLOCK #159
DEBUG: Raw major_slug = ""
DEBUG: Initial offers_url = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/offers.json", major_slug = ""
DEBUG: After cleaning major_slug = ""
DEBUG: Before URL cleaning = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/offers.json"
DEBUG: After TrimSuffix = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/offers.json"
DEBUG: After HTTPS placeholder = "HTTPS_TEMP_PLACEHOLDERwww.collegefactual.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/offers.json"
DEBUG: After slash cleaning = "HTTPS_TEMP_PLACEHOLDERwww.collegefactual.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/offers.json"
DEBUG: After URL cleaning = "https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/offers.json"
DEBUG: offers_url = https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/offers.json
DEBUG: major_slug = ""
DEBUG: offers_url is valid, proceeding to fetch data
DEBUG: offers_data.offers found, count = 3
DEBUG: ROOT LEVEL MAJOR detected (no cip4), lowering min_relevance to 0.5
DEBUG: Starting relevance filtering - min_relevance = 0.5, max_relevance = 1
DEBUG: Checking offer "Arts & Design Associate Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" with relevance 0.8
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Arts & Design Associate Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" ACCEPTED (relevance 0.8)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Arts & Design Bachelors Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" with relevance 0.8
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Arts & Design Bachelors Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)" ACCEPTED (relevance 0.8)
DEBUG: Checking offer "Arts & Design Masters Programs (I Have a Bachelors)" with relevance 0.8
DEBUG: ✓ Offer "Arts & Design Masters Programs (I Have a Bachelors)" ACCEPTED (relevance 0.8)
DEBUG: relevant_offers count = 3
DEBUG: relevant_offers > 0, checking for ESYOH offers
DEBUG: ESYOH filtering - found 3 ESYOH offers with relevance >= 0.5
DEBUG: esyoh_offers count = 3
DEBUG: ESYOH offers found, rendering ESYOH widget
DEBUG: most_relevant_only = true, filtering for most relevant
DEBUG: Found 0 offers with relevance >= 1.0
DEBUG: Backfilling with 0 offers with relevance >= 0.9
DEBUG: Backfilling with 3 offers with relevance >= 0.8

Best Schools for Visual & Performing Arts in Mississippi

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 visual & performing arts degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Visual & Performing Arts

1

University Of Mississippi Main Campus is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in visual & performing arts. Set in the town of University, University Of Mississippi Main Campus is a very large public institution. About 72% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 78 visual & performing arts students who graduated with this degree at University Of Mississippi Main Campus in the most recent data year. Graduates of the visual & performing arts program make about $32,342 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,562. More information about a degree in visual & performing arts from University Of Mississippi Main Campus

2

Mississippi University For Women is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in visual & performing arts, ranking #2. Set in the town of Columbus, Mississippi University For Women is a mid-sized public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 47%. About 30 visual & performing arts degrees were awarded at Mississippi University For Women in the most recent year. Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Mississippi University For Women earn a median of $42,756 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $24,509. See the full visual & performing arts program report for Mississippi University For Women

3

Hinds Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best visual & performing arts schools. Set in the rural area of Raymond, Hinds Community College is a large public institution. There were roughly 69 visual & performing arts students who graduated with this degree at Hinds Community College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the visual & performing arts program make about $34,003 in their early career. Hinds Community College graduates carry a median of $16,385 in student loans. Read more about the visual & performing arts program at Hinds Community College

4
Mississippi State University crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS

Students looking for a strong visual & performing arts program will find one at Mississippi State University, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Mississippi State, Mississippi State University is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 67%. Mississippi State University awarded about 53 visual & performing arts degrees in the most recent data year. Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Mississippi State University earn a median of $24,752 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree. Read more about the visual & performing arts program at Mississippi State University

5

A rank of #5 makes Mississippi College one of the top schools for visual & performing arts. Located in the suburb of Clinton, Mississippi College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. About 59% of students finish within six years. Mississippi College awarded about 30 visual & performing arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their visual & performing arts degree from Mississippi College earn around $32,020 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $25,510 to complete this degree. See the full visual & performing arts program report for Mississippi College

6

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best visual & performing arts schools. Located in the rural area of Perkinston, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is a large public university. There were roughly 84 visual & performing arts students who graduated with this degree at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in the most recent data year. Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College earn a median of $34,214 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $11,653 to complete this degree. Read more about the visual & performing arts program at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

7

University Of Southern Mississippi placed #7 among the best visual & performing arts schools. Located in the city of Hattiesburg, University Of Southern Mississippi is a large public university. Roughly 49% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 145 visual & performing arts students who graduated with this degree at University Of Southern Mississippi in the most recent data year. Visual & Performing Arts graduates of University Of Southern Mississippi earn a median of $26,619 early in their careers. University Of Southern Mississippi graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. More information about a degree in visual & performing arts from University Of Southern Mississippi

8

Itawamba Community College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best visual & performing arts schools. Itawamba Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Fulton. Itawamba Community College awarded about 34 visual & performing arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, visual & performing arts degree recipients from Itawamba Community College generally make around $40,832. Itawamba Community College graduates carry a median of $10,942 in student loans. See the full visual & performing arts program report for Itawamba Community College

9

Holmes Community College came in at #9 for visual & performing arts this year. Holmes Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Goodman. About 13 visual & performing arts degrees were awarded at Holmes Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their visual & performing arts degree from Holmes Community College earn around $32,145 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $13,191. More information about a degree in visual & performing arts from Holmes Community College

10

Northwest Mississippi Community College came in at #10 for visual & performing arts this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the town of Senatobia. Northwest Mississippi Community College awarded about 35 visual & performing arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, visual & performing arts degree recipients from Northwest Mississippi Community College generally make around $35,001. Typical student debt for the program is $9,990. More information about a degree in visual & performing arts from Northwest Mississippi Community College

11

Belhaven University placed #11 among the best visual & performing arts schools. Located in the city of Jackson, Belhaven University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. About 48% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 43 visual & performing arts students who graduated with this degree at Belhaven University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the visual & performing arts program make about $19,507 in their early career. Belhaven University graduates carry a median of $22,500 in student loans. Get the full visual & performing arts details for Belhaven University

12

East Mississippi Community College landed the #12 spot for visual & performing arts this year. Located in the rural area of Scooba, East Mississippi Community College is a moderately-sized public university. About 13 visual & performing arts degrees were awarded at East Mississippi Community College in the most recent year. Visual & Performing Arts graduates of East Mississippi Community College earn a median of $34,012 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $9,422 to complete this degree. Get the full visual & performing arts details for East Mississippi Community College

13

Jackson State University placed #13 among the best visual & performing arts schools. Located in the city of Jackson, Jackson State University is a moderately-sized public university. Roughly 51% of students complete a degree within six years here. Jackson State University awarded about 14 visual & performing arts degrees in the most recent data year. Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Jackson State University earn a median of $23,555 early in their careers. Jackson State University graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Read more about the visual & performing arts program at Jackson State University

ADBLOCK #173
View All Visual & Performing Arts Rankings >

ADBLOCK #115

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 25 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

ADBLOCK #116

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs
ADBLOCK #613

Compare Your School Options