Top Arts, Music, Design Schools Tuition Comparison

The art, music, and design schools focus on the arts, music, and design related fields at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The schools usually have a special focus with concentrations of at least 80 percent of the specialized programs.
Here, we introduce the 2025 Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools and compare them with admission and tuition information. Curtis Institute of Music ranks first in Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools ranking and The Juilliard School is placed in second. (Ranking data from College Evaluator)

Academic Comparison Between Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools

Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools Comparison
2 public and 23 private schools are included in the Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools ranking. Total 28,418 students are attending the Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools where Pratt Institute-Main is the largest with 5,232 students and Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art is the smallest with 4 students.
The average graduation rate is 70.60% and the average students to faculty ratio is 7.92:1 at those colleges.
The following table compares the key academic facts between the Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools with acceptance rate, SAT scores, graduation rates, student population, and students to faculty ratio.
Table. Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools Admission & Tuition Comparison
RankNameIn-State TuitionOut-of-State TuitionGraduation RatePopulationStudent-Faculty Ratio
1Curtis Institute of Music
Philadelphia, PA
$2,525$4,53096%1592:1
2The Juilliard School
New York, NY
$43,170$57,95093%1,0284:1
3Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art
Van Nuys, CA
$31,568$31,618100%41:1
4San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, CA
$44,810$56,15074%4033:1
5University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston Salem, NC
$9,477$27,21178%1,0746:1
6Laguna College of Art and Design
Laguna Beach, CA
$29,800$37,50052%8079:1
7Pratt Institute-Main
Brooklyn, NY
$50,038$61,84574%5,2329:1
8Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles, CA
$45,620$56,48866%1,2848:1
9The New England Conservatory of Music
Boston, MA
$46,930$60,75073%7845:1
10Maryland Institute College of Art
Baltimore, MD
$46,990$56,80072%1,8618:1
11Cleveland Institute of Music
Cleveland, OH
$49,146$52,88072%3506:1
12College for Creative Studies
Detroit, MI
$42,460$53,35071%1,45910:1
13California College of the Arts
San Francisco, CA
$47,266$60,22661%1,3337:1
14Manhattan School of Music
New York, NY
$44,600$57,05078%1,0976:1
15Ringling College of Art and Design
Sarasota, FL
$44,560$57,90072%1,72211:1
16Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Boston, MA
$15,400$43,40069%1,9869:1
17Design Institute of San Diego
San Diego, CA
$22,173$29,30080%1117:1
18Five Towns College
Dix Hills, NY
$19,380$30,25055%72311:1
19Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis, MN
$37,812$45,48451%82410:1
20Worsham College of Mortuary Science
Wheeling, IL
$21,800$26,00074%18714:1
21Musicians Institute
Hollywood, CA
$24,030$32,41453%8126:1
22Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
Milwaukee, WI
$36,230$43,74367%88511:1
23Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science Inc
Pittsburgh, PA
-$26,28589%40213:1
24Culinary Institute of America
Hyde Park, NY
$31,616$38,67063%3,10419:1
25Boston Architectural College
Boston, MA
$23,748$27,47032%7873:1
Average$12,439$43,01170.60%28,418 (Total)7.92:1

Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools 2025 Tuition Comparison and 2026 Estimated Costs

The following table lists and compares 2024-2025 tuition & fees between Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools. The 2024-2025 costs are officially published by NCES, National Center for Education Statistics.
The estimated costs for the academic year 2025-2026 are estimated based on each school's rate of tuition change from 2024 to 2025.
For the undergraduate programs, the average tuition & fees of Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools is $43,011 where Pratt Institute-Main has the most expensive costs at $61,845 and Curtis Institute of Music has the lowest amount of tuition at $4,530.
The average graduate tuition & fees of Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools is $42,330 where California College of the Arts has the highest tuition with $63,430 and Curtis Institute of Music has the lowest amount of graduate school tuition with $2,525.
UndergraduateGraduate
Table. Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools 2025 Tuition Comparison and 2026 Estimation
RankSchool Name 2025 Tuition & Fees2026 Estimated Tuition & Fees
In-StateOut-of-StateIn-StateOut-of-State
1Curtis Institute of Music $4,530-
2The Juilliard School $57,950$59,385
3Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art $31,618$31,618
4San Francisco Conservatory of Music $56,150$57,797
5University of North Carolina School of the Arts $9,477$27,211 $9,477 $27,211
6Laguna College of Art and Design $37,500$39,446
7Pratt Institute-Main $61,845$64,085
8Otis College of Art and Design $56,488$60,825
9The New England Conservatory of Music $60,750$63,033
10Maryland Institute College of Art $56,800$58,499
11Cleveland Institute of Music $52,880$65,795
12College for Creative Studies $53,350$55,423
13California College of the Arts $60,226$62,596
14Manhattan School of Music $57,050$59,610
15Ringling College of Art and Design $57,900$60,426
16Massachusetts College of Art and Design $15,400$43,400 $15,853 $44,655
17Design Institute of San Diego $29,300$29,250
18Five Towns College $30,250$30,553
19Minneapolis College of Art and Design $45,484$47,207
20Worsham College of Mortuary Science $26,000$27,258
21Musicians Institute $32,414$38,636
22Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design $43,743$45,515
23Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science Inc $26,285-
24Culinary Institute of America $38,670$40,155
25Boston Architectural College $27,470$28,157
Average$12,439$43,011$12,665$47,701
Table. Top 25 Arts, Music, Design Schools 2025 Graduate School Tuition Comparison and 2026 Estimation
RankSchool Name 2025 Tuition & Fees2026 Estimated Tuition & Fees
In-StateOut-of-StateIn-StateOut-of-State
1Curtis Institute of Music $2,525-
2The Juilliard School $57,950$59,385
3Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art --
4San Francisco Conservatory of Music $56,150$57,797
5University of North Carolina School of the Arts $12,676$27,379 $12,676$12,676
6Laguna College of Art and Design $43,290$45,464
7Pratt Institute-Main $40,372$41,807
8Otis College of Art and Design $56,488$60,802
9The New England Conservatory of Music $60,750$63,033
10Maryland Institute College of Art $55,060$54,970
11Cleveland Institute of Music $52,880$65,795
12College for Creative Studies $55,670$57,847
13California College of the Arts $63,430$65,924
14Manhattan School of Music $57,050$59,610
15Ringling College of Art and Design --
16Massachusetts College of Art and Design $26,550$26,550 $26,550$27,643
17Design Institute of San Diego $28,930$30,884
18Five Towns College $32,750$33,053
19Minneapolis College of Art and Design $45,484$47,207
20Worsham College of Mortuary Science --
21Musicians Institute $36,115$40,169
22Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design --
23Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science Inc --
24Culinary Institute of America $21,560$21,560
25Boston Architectural College $26,220$26,041
Average$19,613$42,330$20,160$46,651