Updated on Jun 20, 2025 11:48 IST
Tasbiya Khan

Tasbiya KhanSenior Executive

Top Arts Colleges in Karnataka 2025: Ranking, Admission, Courses, Fees, Placement, Cut Off

There are about 15+ top Arts colleges in Karnataka. Of these, 13 colleges are privately owned. Students can secure admission based on their merit. Some of the best BA colleges in Karnataka include Christ University, Mount Carmel College, St. Joseph's University, Kristu Jayanti College, St. Aloysius College Magaluru, Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women, The Oxford College of Arts, M.S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce, and many others.

Best Arts Colleges in Karnataka: Highlights 2025

Arts courses in Karnataka encompass a wide range of disciplines that nurture creativity and develop an appreciation for the arts. They are offered at various levels, from pre-university courses to postgraduate programs, by universities, colleges, and institutes across the state.

See the table below showing particulars of best Arts colleges in Karnataka:

Particulars

Parameters

No. of Colleges

15+ colleges

Annual Fee

Less than INR 1 lakh: 2 colleges

INR 1-2 lakh: 3 colleges

INR 2-3 lakh: 3 colleges

INR 3-5 lakh: 1 college

Top Colleges

Christ University, Mount Carmel College, St. Joseph's University, Kristu Jayanti College, St. Aloysius College Magaluru, Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women, The Oxford College of Arts, M.S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce, etc.

Top Specialisation

English, and Computer Science

Admission Process Merit-based

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

Top Arts Colleges in Karnataka: India Today Ranking 2024

The table below shows the top Arts colleges in Karnataka along with their India Today ranking 2024:

Top Colleges Tuition Fee
Christ University Ranking 15
Mount Carmel College Ranking 17
St. Joseph's University Ranking 18
Kristu Jayanti College Ranking 21
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jain Deemed-to-be University, Bangalore Ranking 51
St. Aloysius College Magaluru Ranking 53

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website of the ranking body listed and may vary.

Top Arts Colleges in Karnataka: Admissions 2025

Arts courses can be pursued at UG, PG and PhD levels. The eligibility criteria differ as per the course selected by the candidate. However, given below is broad eligibility criteria for UG, PG and PhD Arts courses for the reference of candidates:

  • UG level: Candidates must have passed Class 12 and secured at least 55% aggregate score from a recognised board. The course is of four years duration.
  • PG level: Candidates must have passed graduation preferably in the subject in which they wish to pursue masters with a minimum of 50% aggregate score. The course is of two years duration.
  • PhD level: Candidate must have passed a Master's degree in either stream of Engineering, Technology, Arts, Science or Commerce with a minimum of 60% aggregate score. The course duration is three years.

READ MORE: Physics 12 NCERT Solutions

Top Private Art Colleges in Karnataka: Fees, Courses, Eligibility

There are about 10+ best private Arts colleges in Karnataka. See the table below showing private colleges with their total tuition fee and ther India Today ranking 2024:

Private Colleges

Total Tuition Fee

India Today 2024

Christ University Admission

INR 3.21 lakh

15

St. Joseph's University Admission

INR 90,000

18

Mount Caramel College Admission

INR 3.04 lakh

17

St. Aloysius College Magaluru Admission

INR 23,100

53

M.S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce Admission

INR 1.10 lakh

77

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

Highest Salary Offered by Best Arts Colleges in Karnataka

ROI describes the benefit a student will reap in the form of placement amount after paying for the course they have perused. In education, the ROI means the placement package received at the end of the course. Below are listed top arts colleges in India with their annual fees and annual salary package:

College Name

Total Tuition Fee

Average Placement Package

School of Humanities and Social Sciences Courses

INR 4.50 lakh

INR 7.55 LPA

Christ University Courses

INR 3.21 lakh

INR 4.80 LPA

Surana College Courses INR 1.26 lakh INR 3 LPA

Mount Caramel College Courses

INR 3.04 lakh

INR 3.33 LPA

St. Aloysius College Magaluru Courses

INR 23,100

INR 3 LPA

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

To know more about the best Arts colleges in different regions of India CLICK BELOW:

Top Recruiters for Best Arts Colleges in Karnataka

See the table below showing colleges with their average package and top recruiters:

College Name

Average Placement Package

Top Recruiters

School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jain (Deemed-to-be) University Placement

INR 7.55 LPA

Accenture, Amazon, Axis Bank, Bose, Facebook, Google, HCL, HP, IBM, etc.

St. Aloysius College Magaluru Placement

INR 3 LPA

EY, ICICI, IBM, JET King, Amazon, Swiggy and Wipro

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

Cost of Studying at Best Arts Colleges in Karnataka

It is estimated that studying arts colleges in Karnataka is affordable. See the table below for fee ranges of popular Arts colleges in Karnataka :

Fee Range

Top Colleges

< INR 1 lakh

2 (St. Joseph's University and St. Aloysius College Magaluru)

INR 1-2 lakh

3 (M.S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Surana College and St. Claret College)

INR 3-5 lakh

3 (Christ University, Mount Carmel College and School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jain (Deemed-to-be) University)

INR > 5 lakh

1 (National School of Journalism and Public Discourse (NSoJ))

Top Specialisations offered by Best Arts Colleges in Karnataka

English is the only one specialisations offered by top arts colleges in Karnataka. See the table below specialisations offered by the number of colleges:

Specialisation

No. of Colleges

Computer Science

2 (St. Claret College, St. Pauls College)

English

1 (Kristu Jayanti College)

Top Art Colleges in Karnataka: Comparison 2025

See the list below showing comparison of top Arts colleges in Karnataka:

Read More

Selected Filters

Location

Total Fees

Rating

Ownership

Specialization

Exams Accepted

15
India Today ' 24
(All India)
Christ University
4.2

Placements

3.9

Infrastructure

4.5

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.1

Crowd & Campus Life

4.4

Value for Money

4.2

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(1644)
Fees: 3.21 Lakh
Salary : 4.80 Lakh
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24
17
India Today ' 24
(All India)
Mount Carmel College
4.1

Placements

3.8

Infrastructure

4.1

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.2

Crowd & Campus Life

4.3

Value for Money

4.1

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(163)
Fees: 3.04 Lakh
Salary : 3.33 Lakh
19
The Week ' 25
25
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Commonly asked questions
On Top Arts Colleges in Karnataka 2025: Ranking, Admission, Courses, Fees, Placement, Cut Off
Q:   How many top ranked Arts colleges in Karnataka?
A: 

About 15+ top ranked Arts colleges in Karnataka. Of these, 13 colleges are privately owned. Students can secure admission based on their merit. Some of the best BA colleges in Karnataka include Christ University, Mount Carmel College, St. Joseph's University, Kristu Jayanti College, St. Aloysius College Magaluru, Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women, The Oxford College of Arts, M.S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce,  and many others.

Q:   Which is the No. 1 ranked Arts college in Karnataka?
A: 

According to India Today ranking 2024, Christ University emerged to be as the No. 1 ranked Arts college in Karnataka secured 15th position followed by other colleges like Mount Carmel College and St. Joseph's University.

Q:   What are high-salary courses after 12th Arts?
A: 

The the biggest misconception that people have regarding Arts courses is that they will not offer good remuneration to the graduates. The key to earning a good salary is based on two important factors: experience and skills. Hence, the entry salary in these fields ranges from INR 2-3 LPA and with expanding services and experience one can expect to earn INR 4-7 LPA .

It can be very profitable to offer seminars or online classes if you are an expert in a particular creative form. Being an art teacher can be financially and personally fulfilling. A lot of designers and artists decide to work for themselves as independent contractors, doing client tasks. Students who take up freelance activities and other commissioned work can also earn decent based on the projects. Furthermore, the scope of earning more increases if a person starts an entrepreneurial venture.

Students can see the below table to learn job positions and average salaries.

Job Profile

Average Annual Salary in INR

Animator/ VFX artist

6- 10 LPA

Teacher

3.5- 6 LPA

Visualiser

5- 7 LPA

Commercial Artist

6- 8 LPA

Art Director

7- 9 LPA

Illustrator

4- 6 LPA

Actor

3- 10 LPA

Musician

6-10 LPA

Q:   What are different Arts forms?
A: 

Arts (Fine/Visual/Performing) deals with the study of a wide variety of art forms covered under three main headers:

Different Forms of Arts

Description of Different Forms of Arts

Fine Arts

Fine Arts is a form of art developed primarily for its aesthetic value and beauty. This form of art mainly includes the study of drawing, sculpture, painting, literature, pottery, printmaking, ceramics, and murals. 

Visual Arts

Visual Arts is another form of creative art whose products are to be appreciated by sight. The forms of visual arts are highly similar to that of fine arts (sometimes exactly the same) and mainly include film-making, painting, and sculpture.

Performing Arts

Performing Arts is a form of creative activity in which artists use their physical ability such as body, face and presence to perform in front of an audience. Different forms of performing arts include music, drama, singing, dance, and stand-up comedy.

18
India Today ' 24
(All India)
St. Joseph’s University
4.2

Placements

3.7

Infrastructure

4.2

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.3

Crowd & Campus Life

4.5

Value for Money

4.3

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(208)
Fees: 90,000
17
The Week ' 25
17
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Commonly asked questions
On Top Arts Colleges in Karnataka 2025: Ranking, Admission, Courses, Fees, Placement, Cut Off
Q:   What are the top ranked Arts colleges in Karnataka as per India Today ranking?
A: 

As per India Today ranking 2024, Christ University emerged to be as the top ranked Arts college in Karnataka. Listed below are the colleges along with their rankings 2024:

Top CollegesTuition Fee
Christ University Ranking15
Mount Carmel College Ranking17
St. Joseph's University Ranking18
Kristu Jayanti College Ranking21
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jain Deemed-to-be University, Bangalore Ranking51
Kristu4 Aloysius College Magaluru Ranking53

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website of the ranking body listed and may vary.

Q:   What are the diploma courses I can pursue in fine arts?
A: 

Surbhi,

Design is a field that is age old and has been evolving every year like science. The world has changed a lot and a lot of new & wonderful careers in design have come up. Sometimes student Artists are too much enamoured by Fine Arts preventing them to look objectively at Design. Again like science it pays to be at the cutting edge. For e.g. science students do better if they go for CS or IT since that are areas where development is taking place rapidly.

Similarly in Design the cutting edge areas are UID/ UXD, 3D Printing, Immersive Technology, Augmented Reality, 3D Projection etc, besides of course Game Design & Animation. Of course at the top of the pile lies Concept Designing (usually reserved for writers and visionaries) - these people are required by Event Companies, Animation Studios, VFX Studios, & of course Game Studios. At this stage, you may want to understand the creative world & the careers it offers. Interiors, textile as well as Web Design rely on the same skills - your layout skills & color sense. Journalism also is at this level and relies on your language skills & knowledge of history and current affairs. A little higher perches Graphic Design, Fashion Design, jewellery design, Acting, & Fine Arts which rely on one of your artistic skills - sketching & imagination. At a similar level perches VFX as well as Motion Graphics which rely on one of your artistic skills - Cinematographic skills & imagination. Then come careers like Animation, Film Making, Game Design which rely on multiple talents like your authority over sketching, acting, direction, voice, sound, writing, storytelling & problem solving skills etc. Any extra skill can be used in this. So it turns out to be one of the most challenging as well as satisfying careers. Sure not recommended for the weak hearted. Do remember that digital design careers (e.g. web design, graphics, UI design, animation, vfx, multimedia) give better profits since they can be delivered anywhere in the world & hence may earn in dollars - resulting in better rewards for designers. 

If you like this answer you may select it as best answer or press like.

Q:   What are the top ranked private Arts colleges in Karnataka?
A: 

There are about 10+ best private Arts colleges in Karnataka. See the table below showing private colleges with their total tuition fee and ther India Today ranking 2024:

Private Colleges

Total Tuition Fee

India Today 2024

Christ University Admission

INR 3.21 lakh

15

St. Joseph's University Admission

INR 90,000

18

Mount Caramel College Admission

INR 3.04 lakh

17

St. Aloysius College Magaluru Admission

INR 23,100

53

M.S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce Admission

INR 1.10 lakh

77

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

Q:   What are the best career options after completing Fine Arts?
A: 

Many colleges offer undergraduate courses in the field of Arts which can be either pursued through admissions based on merit or entrance examination performance. Bachelor of Arts (BA) is the most popular undergraduate course that students pursue after Class 12 Arts. Here, you can select from 900 BA colleges in India.

Some of these top courses after class 12 Arts are as follows:

·       BA in Humanities & Social Sciences

·       Bachelor in Arts (Fine/ Visual/ Performing)

·       Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)

·       BDes in Animation

·       BA LLB

·       BDes in Design

·       BSc in Hospitality & Travel

·       BSc in Design

·       Bachelor of Journalism & Mass Communication (BJMC)

·       BHM in Hospitality & Travel

·       Bachelor of Journalism (BJ)

·       Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM)

·       BA in Hospitality & Travel

21
India Today ' 24
(All India)
Kristu Jayanti College
4.2

Placements

4.0

Infrastructure

4.3

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.2

Crowd & Campus Life

4.3

Value for Money

4.3

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(415)
Salary : 6.41 Lakh
21
The Week ' 25
19
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Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Top Arts Colleges in Karnataka 2025: Ranking, Admission, Courses, Fees, Placement, Cut Off
Q:   Is it worth joining the top ranked Arts colleges in karnataka?
A: 

Yes, joining the top ranked Arts colleges in Karnataka can be worthwhile for you. For that, you need to check its ROI. Listed below are some colleges along with their tuition fees and average placement package:

College Name

Total Tuition Fee

Average Placement Package

School of Humanities and Social Sciences Courses

INR 4.50 lakh

INR 7.55 LPA

Christ University Courses

INR 3.21 lakh

INR 4.80 LPA

Surana College CoursesINR 1.26 lakhINR 3 LPA

Mount Caramel College Courses

INR 3.04 lakh

INR 3.33 LPA

St. Aloysius College Magaluru Courses

INR 23,100

INR 3 LPA

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

Q:   How many courses are there in fine arts?
A: 

The primary degrees available under the fine arts umbrella are:

  1. Painting
  2. Sculpture
  3. Animation
  4. Photography
  5. Printmaking
  6. Dance
  7. Film and television
  8. Musical theater
  9. Theater
Q:   What is the cost of studying at top ranked Arts colleges in Karnataka?
A: 

It is estimated that studying arts colleges in Karnataka is affordable. See the table below for fee ranges of popular Arts colleges in Karnataka:

Fee Range

Top Colleges

< INR 1 lakh

2  (St. Joseph's University and St. Aloysius College Magaluru)

INR 1-2 lakh

3  (M.S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Surana College and St. Claret College)

INR 3-5 lakh

3  (Christ University, Mount Carmel College and School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jain (Deemed-to-be) University)

INR > 5 lakh

1  (National School of Journalism and Public Discourse (NSoJ)
51
India Today ' 24
(All India)
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jain Deemed-to-be University, Bangalore
4.0

Placements

4.0

Infrastructure

3.9

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.1

Crowd & Campus Life

4.3

Value for Money

3.9

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(7)
Fees: 4.50 Lakh
Salary : 7.55 Lakh
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24
53
India Today ' 24
(All India)
St. Aloysius College Magaluru
4.1

Placements

3.4

Infrastructure

4.1

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.2

Crowd & Campus Life

4.6

Value for Money

4.2

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(69)
Fees: 23,100
Salary : 3.00 Lakh
38
The Week ' 25
52
Outlook ' 24
57
India Today ' 24
(All India)
Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women
3.9

Placements

3.9

Infrastructure

3.6

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.1

Crowd & Campus Life

3.7

Value for Money

4.0

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(63)
Salary : 2.40 Lakh
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24
67
India Today ' 24
(All India)
The Oxford College of Arts
3.8

Placements

2.5

Infrastructure

3.5

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.5

Crowd & Campus Life

4.5

Value for Money

4.0

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(2)
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
39
Outlook ' 24
77
India Today ' 24
(All India)
M.S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce
4.1

Placements

3.8

Infrastructure

4.3

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.1

Crowd & Campus Life

4.3

Value for Money

3.9

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(168)
Fees: 1.10 Lakh
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
66
Outlook ' 24
113
India Today ' 24
(All India)
Jyoti Nivas College
4.2

Placements

3.8

Infrastructure

4.3

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.4

Crowd & Campus Life

4.3

Value for Money

4.4

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(45)
Salary : 3.37 Lakh
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24
115
India Today ' 24
(All India)
St. Francis De Sales College
4.1

Placements

3.9

Infrastructure

4.2

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.3

Crowd & Campus Life

4.1

Value for Money

4.0

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(36)
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24
126
India Today ' 24
(All India)
St. Agnes College
3.9

Placements

3.6

Infrastructure

3.8

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.0

Crowd & Campus Life

4.1

Value for Money

4.0

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(13)
Salary : 4.50 Lakh
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24
129
India Today ' 24
(All India)
Surana College
3.9

Placements

3.8

Infrastructure

3.7

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.1

Crowd & Campus Life

4.0

Value for Money

4.1

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(15)
Fees: 1.26 Lakh
Salary : 3.00 Lakh
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24
133
India Today ' 24
(All India)
National School of Journalism and Public Discourse (NSoJ)
4.5

Placements

4.6

Infrastructure

4.2

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.8

Crowd & Campus Life

4.6

Value for Money

4.6

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(9)
Fees: 6.82 Lakh
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24
151
India Today ' 24
(All India)
St. Claret College
4.3

Placements

4.1

Infrastructure

4.2

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.4

Crowd & Campus Life

4.4

Value for Money

4.3

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(142)
Fees: 1.92 Lakh
Salary : 4.28 Lakh
71
The Week ' 25
91
Outlook ' 24
164
India Today ' 24
(All India)
St Pauls College
4.2

Placements

3.8

Infrastructure

4.3

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.3

Crowd & Campus Life

4.4

Value for Money

4.4

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(26)
Salary : 2.31 Lakh
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24

Other popular Humanities & Social Sciences colleges in Karnataka

1.52 L
11.75 LPA
2.45 - 30 LPA

#59 Outlook

7 Courses
5.0
1.56 - 2.09 LPA
1.58 L - 5.1 L
90 K - 3.31 L
4 Courses
3.4 - 3.53 LPA
60 K - 1.7 L
3.1
2.1 L - 8.35 L
4.8 - 6.14 LPA

#10 Outlook

60 K - 1.7 L
6 L
7.2 LPA
20 Courses
20 K - 1.2 L
3 - 5 LPA
41 Courses
2.12 K - 50.6 K
3.5 - 7.45 LPA
26 Courses
26.17 K - 1.04 L
3.8 LPA

Confused about which college or exam to opt for?

Chat with our counsellor.

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87 Courses
4.57 K - 1.04 L
1.25 - 3.8 LPA
3.3 L
3.5 - 5.88 LPA
2.64 L - 5.88 L
4.0
2.4 L - 3 L
3.2 - 3.3 LPA

#91 The Week

11 Courses
2.5 L - 14 L
4.0
1.33 K - 39.52 K
2 - 4.8 LPA
3.19 K - 60.17 K
1.18 L - 1.65 L
8.5 L - 20 L
4.2
3.4
4.5 K - 37.5 K
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