Best Colleges for Art History

Art history is about more than just appreciating beautiful sculptures and paintings. Those at the top of their field have carefully developed not only a keen eye for visual pieces of art but also a deep understanding of how works of art speak to the historical, societal, and political contexts in which they were created. While some will seek future employment in museums or galleries, the analytical skills one will emerge with from any of the top colleges on our list will translate across many fields. The list of our best colleges for art history will land you at the top of the heap when it comes time to apply to grad school or seek competitive employment in this specialized arena.

Click the links below for more information about each college’s art history program. Click here to read our methodology.

Bard College

Barnard College

Boston University

Columbia University

Brown University

Bryn Mawr College

Cornell University

Emory University

Harvard University

New York University

Oberlin College

Rutgers University

School of Visual Arts, New York

Skidmore College

Smith College

Stanford University

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Cruz

University of Chicago

University of Michigan

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh

University of Southern California

University of Texas at Austin

University of Washington

Wellesley College

Williams College

Yale University