Fine Arts Schools and Programs in The United States

Fine Arts Studies in The United States

Fine arts is the study and practice of making art: painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, photography and, increasingly, digital media. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes fine artists, including painters, sculptors and illustrators, as people who create pieces of art more for aesthetics than for function. In the United States the subject is often called studio art, and it is taught in university art departments, independent schools of art and design, and community colleges.

Students spend most of their time in the studio and build a portfolio, a collection of work that shows the artist's styles and abilities.

How the degree is organised

Most students take a bachelor's degree, which EducationUSA says is usually completed in four years of full-time study. Art departments typically offer two versions:

• The Bachelor of Arts (BA) gives a broad foundation in the visual arts within a liberal arts education, with room for a second subject.
• The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a more intensive, specialised curriculum for students who want to work as professional artists or designers, or to enter graduate programmes in the visual arts.

The University of Kentucky in Lexington, which describes the two degrees in this way, offers both in Art Studio with 120 credit hours; its BFA ends with a senior thesis exhibition. At Ohio Wesleyan University, whose Fine Arts Department was created in 1864, Studio Art can also be taken as a BA or a BFA. The College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit, an independent art and design college, offers BFA, MA and MFA degrees.

Community colleges offer a two-year associate degree. Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania, for example, lists Art among its associate degree programmes designed for transfer. EducationUSA calls this the "2+2" route: two years of community college followed by two years of university study.

The graduate degree for practising artists is the Master of Fine Arts (MFA). The University of Florida, for instance, offers a BA and a BFA in Art for undergraduates and an MFA in Art for graduates.

Admission and language

EducationUSA states that undergraduate applicants in general must have completed high school and be at least 17 years old, and that US universities require an English language proficiency test before admission. Teaching is in English. CCS, for example, asks international applicants whose native language is not English for a TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, SAT or ACT score.

Art programmes often ask for a portfolio as well. CCS asks applicants to most majors for 5–12 pieces in any medium that represent their strongest work. Requirements differ from school to school. The search for a programme should begin 12 to 18 months before the academic year.

To study on an F student visa, students must first be accepted by an institution certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

Where to study fine arts in the United States

The schools on this page are spread across the country; Boston has the largest group, followed by Philadelphia, New York and Denver. They include:

• Universities and liberal arts colleges with an art department, such as the University of Kentucky in Lexington, the University of Florida in Gainesville, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio
• Independent art and design schools, such as the College for Creative Studies in Detroit and the Savannah College of Art and Design
• Community colleges, such as Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Seattle Central College and Broward College in Fort Lauderdale

The list also contains some secondary schools, such as The Storm King School and The Bolles School, which teach art but do not award degrees.

Accreditation and recognition

EducationUSA explains that the recognition of course credits and degrees by other institutions and by employers is linked to an institution's accreditation. In art there is also a specialised accreditor, the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Boston University, whose School of Visual Arts is accredited by it, describes NASAD as an organisation founded in 1944 with approximately 346 accredited institutional members that sets national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Careers

According to the BLS, craft and fine artists held about 53,400 jobs in 2025, and 58 percent of them were self-employed. Many artists have at least one other job to support their art. Employment is projected to decline 1 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,300 openings a year.

Those who want to teach art in public elementary or secondary schools usually need a teaching certificate in addition to a bachelor's degree, the BLS notes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a BA and a BFA in art?

The BA combines art with a broad liberal arts education. The BFA is a more intensive studio degree for students who plan to work as professional artists or designers or to apply for graduate programmes in the visual arts.

Do I need a portfolio to apply to a fine arts programme in the United States?

Often, yes, but it depends on the school and the degree. The College for Creative Studies, for example, asks applicants to most majors for 5–12 pieces in any medium.

How long does a fine arts degree take?

A bachelor's degree (BA or BFA) usually takes four years of full-time study, and an associate degree at a community college takes two. EducationUSA describes the master's as a two-year degree.