QUICK ANSWER
Rankings sort schools by reputation; outcome figures show what happened to graduates, but only if you read how each figure was built. Five art schools publish “success” rates between 81% and 99%, and no two measure the same thing: some include graduate school, some include freelance work, and response rates run from 24% to 80%, or go unstated.
So the useful skill is not finding the highest number; it is asking what each number counts.
BEYOND THE LIST · 1
Outcome Figures, Read Carefully
| School | Published figure | What it counts |
|---|---|---|
| SCAD | 99% (undergraduate only: 98%) | Undergraduate and graduate combined; includes part-time, freelance, self-employment and further study; 74% response |
| MICA | 96% | Alumni “working in a field related to their program” (SNAAP survey; response rate not stated) |
| RISD | 95% | Class of 2023 “engaged”; 74% directly related work; 24% response |
| Pratt | 94% | Class of 2024 employed or in graduate school within 12 months; 80% response |
| The New School | 81% | 2023 graduates in work or study, university-wide (not Parsons alone) |
From each school’s published outcomes pages, checked September–October 2026.
BEYOND THE LIST · 2
Rankings Have a Place
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 places RISD 4th, Pratt 5th and SAIC 11th in Art & Design. Rankings are useful for a first list. But a ranking cannot tell you how a department teaches, whether a school funds international students, or what its outcome figure includes.
FOR KOREAN FAMILIES
Ask each school one question: of last year’s graduates who answered, how many work in their field, full-time? See researching schools at the source and what accreditation shows.
BEYOND THE LIST · 3
Frequently Asked Questions
Which art school has the best job placement?
Published figures use different definitions, so they cannot be ranked directly.
Does Pratt’s 94% mean 94% are employed?
It counts graduates employed or in graduate school within 12 months, among the 80% who responded.
What does SCAD’s 99% include?
Undergraduate and graduate students, part-time, freelance and self-employed work and further study.
Why does response rate matter?
A low response rate, such as RISD’s 24%, may not represent all graduates.
Are rankings useless?
No. They help build a first list; outcomes, funding and fit decide the final one.
ROYAL BLUE ART & DESIGN
Our director has taught Korean students for U.S. art schools for 19 years, from our studio in Apgujeong, Seoul. Our results page lists 1,099 acceptances, 2009–2026, each confirmed directly with the student. Call 02-3446-5929 or book a consultation.
From SCAD, MICA, RISD, Pratt and The New School outcomes pages and QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. Checked September–October 2026. If something here has changed, tell us and we will correct it.
Related reading: Researching Schools · Accreditation · Building a School List · Hardest Art Schools · Royal Blue Results