Why Choose a Bachelor’s in Art and Art History?
Art and art history are two areas within the same industry. Art history allows students to study historical art, to work in museums as curators and to study and research. Art degrees on their own may help students learn to paint, draw, complete printmaking techniques or to participate in other forms of art.
A Bachelor’s degree in art and art history gives students the opportunity to get a wide education in a field that has as many jobs as you could imagine. From working as a designer to curating a museum show, there are many different options to pursue.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics points out that museum workers, curators, and archivists earn around $49,850 per year. This field is expected to grow by around 11% between 2019 and 2029. This is much faster than average, so those starting a BA now should have plenty of positions to choose from in the future.
Choosing a Bachelor’s in Art and Art History
When you select a school for your Bachelor’s in art and art history, you should find one that has good internships and connections. Networking is essential, so it’s a good idea to find a school that is associated with a museum or other organization that you’re interested in working with in the future.
The following are our top choices for schools offering degrees in art and art history. If you don’t see a program you’re interested in here, let us know. We can help you find a program that suits your individual needs.
The Best 15 Schools with a Bachelor’s in Art and Art History
1. Aquinas College
Aquinas College offers an art history BA that consists of 39 hours in the major track along with the core requirements of the bachelor’s degree program. Students need to complete at least 18 semester hours of art history at the school, though some credit may be transferred in.
• Tuition (in-state): $10,674
• Enrollment: 1,600
2. SUNY Geneseo
SUNY Geneseo offers an art history major that has a 39-credit-hour track. The program offers excellent internship opportunities and many graduates are accepted to prestigious graduate schools such as University College London, George Washington University, and The New School Parsons.
• Tuition (in-state): $11,310
• Enrollment: 5,398
3. SUNY Empire State College
SUNY Empire State College offers an art degree with focuses in art and design, art history, visual art, painting and more. Students may attend both SUNY and CUNY colleges with cross-registration to complete this program.
• Tuition (in-state): $11,310
• Enrollment: 10,440
4. The University of Findlay
Students at The University of Findlay have the option of getting a bachelor’s degree in art with a minor in art history. The minor requires 15 semester hours taken in art history as well as six semester hours of topics in the History of Art to obtain the degree.
• Tuition (in-state): $16,000
• Enrollment: 4,714
5. School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts offers an undergraduate degree in art history. The four-year program has a wide selection of art courses available to students, so they may specialize within the degree.
• Tuition (in-state): $46,940
• Enrollment: 3,692
6. Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University offers an art history and visual culture program that can be completed through traditional or online formats. The school offers a bachelor of arts with a concentration in pre-art concentration as well, which is good for students looking to go into museum work and antique preservations.
• Tuition (in-state): $18,000
• Enrollment: 8,392
7. University of Indianapolis
The University of Indianapolis offers an art history BA that consists of 120 credit hours. It is designed to be completed in just four years, though some students may take accelerated coursework.
• Tuition (in-state): $37,514
• Enrollment: 5,801
8. University of Massachusetts Lowell
The University of Massachusetts Lowell offers the Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree. This comes with a concentration in art history for those who wish to pursue it. The concentration requires a minimum of six art history courses for completion on top of the overall major credit requirements.
• Tuition (in-state): $14,590
• Enrollment: 18,352
9. Kent State University
The art history major at Kent State University examines both the creative expressions of individual artists and the cultures that supported them, encompassing African, Asian, American, and European traditions. The program provides a strong foundation for the successful pursuit of advanced degrees and other opportunities in the field, including teaching, research, publishing, and curating. They also offer BFA and BA degrees in studio art.
• Tuition (in-state): $11,766
• Enrollment: 27,716
10. Arizona State University
Arizona State University offers a Bachelor of Arts History degree program that has an acceptance rate of around 63.4%. The program consists of 120 credit hours and requires 39 total classes.
• Tuition (in-state): $11,720
• Enrollment: 53,286
11. Ohio State University
The Ohio State University offers a major in the history of art, which requires 13 courses in art history on top of the school’s core curriculum. The program can be completed in four years or less, depending on the number of courses taken at once.
• Tuition (in-state): $11,560
• Enrollment: 61,391
12. Cornell University
Cornell University offers an undergraduate major in The History of Art and Visual Studies. This program major requires 40 specific credit hours, 26 of which must be taken at the 3000 level or higher. This is a four-year program.
• Tuition (in-state): $29,500
• Enrollment: 24,027
13. School of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The School of the Museum of Fine Arts is one of three undergraduate schools within Tufts University. Students have the option of earning a BFA in Studio Art, a BA in Art History, or both through their 5-year Combined Degree (BFA+BA) program. SMFA at Tufts is partnered with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston which holds the second largest art collection in North America. This partnership offers students connections to a broad range of art world professionals through work study, internship, and exhibition opportunities. SMFA’s Fenway campus is located on the Avenue of the Arts in downtown Boston, surrounded by world-class art collections and gallery districts. Tufts University is a 100% need-met university.
• Tuition: $61,646
• Enrollment: 11,878
14. Stanford University
Stanford University offers an art history major that requires the completion of 65 units in the specific degree path. At least two courses must be taken in an area of concentration, and there is a seminar requirement.
• Tuition (in-state): $52,479
• Enrollment: 17,249
15. Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University offers an art history BA that can be completed with 120 credit hours. The four-year program Art History program can be begin at any campus but end at the University Park campus.
• Tuition (in-state): $17,920 (Freshman and Sophomore); $19,333 (Junior and Senior)
• Enrollment: 89,816
Ranking Methodology
For this article, we’ve ranked the schools from our top choice to our last choice. The schools received points for tuition (lower was better) and enrollment (lower was better). The two scores were added to come up with our listing.
The list here was assembled with an intention of accuracy, but please remember that it may be changed at any time and is not guaranteed.
Interested in Learning More About These School Rankings?
Do you work at one of these schools and have questions about the information here? Would you like to have your school added to our list? Let us know, and we would be happy to speak with you about your options.