Updated on Jun 24, 2025 12:56 IST
Tasbiya Khan

Tasbiya KhanSenior Executive

Top Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu 2026: Ranking, Fees, Admission, Courses, Placements

About 40+ top Arts colleges are there in Tamil Nadu. Of these, 30 are private colleges and 5 are government colleges, and public-private entities own 2 colleges. Admission is based on merit. Top BA colleges in Tamil Nadu include MCC, Loyola College, Stella Maris College, Women's Christian College, PSGCAS, Ethiraj College for Women, Dr. N.G.P. Arts and Science College, St.Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, and many others.

Top Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu: Highlights 2025

Candidates can see the table below:

Parameters

Particulars/ Statistics

No. of Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu

40+ colleges

Annual Fees

Less than INR 1 lakh: 9 colleges

INR 1-2 lakh: 2 colleges

INR 2-3 lakh: 1 college

Top Colleges

MCC, Loyola College, Stella Maris College, Women's Christian College, PSGCAS, Ethiraj College for Women, Dr. N.G.P. Arts and Science College, St.Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, etc..

Top specialisations

 English, Human Resources, Psychiatry

Admission Process

Merit-based

Source: Official site and may vary.

Top Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu with India Today Ranking 2024

Candidates can see the table below with ranking:

Top Colleges India Today 2024
MCC Ranking 7
Loyola College Ranking 8
Stella Maris College Ranking 19
Women's Christian College Ranking 20
PSGCAS Ranking 50
Ethiraj College for Women Ranking 52

Source: Official site and may vary.

Top Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu: Admissions 2025

Candidates can see below the eligibility criteria:

  • UG level: Must have passed Class 12 with at least a 45-55% aggregate score from a recognized board. 
  • PG level: Must have completed their graduation in a relevant subject, with a minimum of 45-55% aggregate score.
  • PhD level: Must have completed their Master's degree in the subject that they wish to pursue, or a related field, with a minimum of a 60% aggregate score.

Source: Official site and may vary.

Top Private Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu

Candidates can see the table below for private colleges:

Private Colleges

Total Tuition Fee/Seat Intake

India Today 2024

Loyola College Admission

INR 42,570

8

Stella Maris College Admission

INR 75,000

19

Women’s Christian College Admission

INR 1.35 lakh

20

Ethiraj College for Women Admission INR 1.30 lakh 52
Bon Secours College For Women Admission INR 10,000

125

Source: Official site and may vary.

Top Government Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu

Candidates can see the table below for government colleges:

Public/Govt. Colleges

Total Tuition Fee

India Today 2024 

MCC- Madras Christian College Admission

INR 56,157

7

PSGCAS Admission

INR 30,000

50

Source: Official site and may vary.

To know more about the top Arts colleges in different regions of India:

Top Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu: Fees Vs Salary

Candidates can see the table below with fees and salary:

Top Colleges

Total Tuition Fee

Annual Average Package

Loyola College Courses

INR 42,570

INR 4.40 LPA

Stella Maris College Courses

INR 75,000

INR 3.60 LPA

Women’s Christian College Courses

INR 1.35 lakh

INR 3 LPA

PSGCAS Courses INR 30,000 INR 3.44 LPA

MCC- Madras Christian College Courses

INR 56,157

INR 3 LPA

Source: Official site and may vary.

Top Recruiters for the Best Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu

Candidates can see the table below with placements:

Top Colleges

Average Placement Package

Top Recruiters

Loyola College Placement

INR 4.40 LPA

Pfizer, Adobe, Atos, Ramco Industries, Conde Nast, etc.

MCC- Madras Christian College Placement

INR 3 LPA

Deloitte, Wipro, TCS, Infosys, Accenture, etc.

Stella Maris College Placement

INR 3.60 LPA

Deloitte, Dell, EYC, ICICI Bank, KPMG, etc.

Women’s Christian College Placement

INR 3 LPA

Cognizant, TCS, Amazon, Zoho, Infosys, etc.

Hindustan College of Arts and Science Placement

INR 3.76 LPA

Infosys, Capgemini, TCS, Ford, Concentrix, etc.

Source: Official site and may vary.

Low-cost Top Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu

Candidates can see the table below:

Low-cost Colleges Tuition Fee
MCC Fees INR 56,157
Loyola College Fees INR 42,570
Stella Maris College Fees INR 75,000
PSGCAS Fees INR 30,000
Bon Secours College For Women Fees INR 10,000

Source: Official site and may vary.

Top Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu: Comparison 2025

Below is the list showing comparison of top Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu:

Read More

Selected Filters

Location

Total Fees

Rating

Ownership

Specialization

Exams Accepted

95
India Today ' 25
(All India)
V.O.Chidambaram College
4.4

Placements

4.0

Infrastructure

4.0

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.5

Crowd & Campus Life

4.5

Value for Money

5.0

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(2)
56
The Week ' 25
90
Outlook ' 24
100
India Today ' 25
(All India)
SDNB Vaishnav College for Women
4.1

Placements

4.0

Infrastructure

4.0

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.3

Crowd & Campus Life

4.1

Value for Money

4.2

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(92)
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
85
Outlook ' 24
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Top Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu 2026: Ranking, Fees, Admission, Courses, Placements
Q:   How many top ranked Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu?
A: 

There are about 40+ top Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu. Of these,  30 colleges are privately owned,  5 colleges are owned by public/government organisations, and public-private entities own 2 colleges. Students can secure admission as per their merit. Some of the best BA colleges in Tamil Nadu include MCC, Loyola College, Stella Maris College, Women's Christian College, PSGCAS, Ethiraj College for Women, Dr. N.G.P. Arts and Science College, St.Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli,  and many others.

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

According to India Today ranking 2024, MCC college emerged to be as the top ranked Arts college in Tamil Nadu secured 7th position followed by other colleges include Loyola College and Stella Maris College.

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 the top ranked Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu as per India Today ranking?
A: 

As per India Today ranking, MCC college emerged to be as the top ranked college. The table below shows the top Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu along with their India Today ranking 2024:

Top CollegesIndia Today 2024
MCC Ranking7
Loyola College Ranking8
Stella Maris College Ranking19
Women's Christian College Ranking20
PSGCAS Ranking50
Ethiraj College for Women Ranking52

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

169
India Today ' 25
(All India)
K.S. Rangasamy College of Arts and Science
4.8

Placements

5.0

Infrastructure

5.0

Faculty & Course Curriculum

5.0

Crowd & Campus Life

5.0

Value for Money

4.0

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(1)
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Top Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu 2026: Ranking, Fees, Admission, Courses, Placements
Q:   What are the best career options in arts?
A: 

Students with an artistic background have a wide range of professional alternatives. While performing arts provide options in acting, dancing, directing, and producing, visual arts and design offer pathways like graphic design, illustration, and art direction. Digital marketing experts, social media managers, and content producers are common positions in the field of digital media and communication.

Options for authorship, content development, and journalism are presented by writing and journalism. Furthermore, curators of galleries or museums are included in the field of arts administration. An arts degree's adaptability enables people to work in a variety of sectors, bringing creativity and critical thinking to disciplines like media and entertainment, design, and administration.

Read more about - 

BPA Course

Q:   Is it affordable to get admission to the top ranked Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu?
A: 

Yes, It is estimated that joining the best Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu can be affordable as most colleges have tuition fees of less than INR 1 lakh. Listed below are the colleges along with their tuition fees:

Low-cost CollegesTuition Fee
MCC FeesINR 56,157
Loyola College FeesINR 42,570
Stella Maris College FeesINR 75,000
PSGCAS FeesINR 30,000
Bon Secours College For Women FeesINR 10,000

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website.

Q:   What is the scope of performing arts?
A: 

In performing arts, you have different specialisation like dance, drama, music, etc. According to your course you have core subjects. Majoring in performing arts involves study that integrates the overlapping fields of drama, music and dance practices. Even when students specialize in one of the three areas, they will take courses in the other performance arts disciplines as well, as well as taking some general education courses.

Performing arts are all pervading bringing colour and joy to numerous festivals and ceremonies, and reaffirming the faith of the people in their heritage. These facets have been responsible for sustaining the long continuities of ancient traditions. They are the link between the past and the present. It thus exemplifies the complex, organic interaction of all aspects of life implicit in all tribal and folk art forms; art is not seen as something apart from life, a mere ornamentation or entertainment, but as an intrinsic part of it.

A performing arts B.A. Programme may include courses in the following subject areas:

  • Music performance
  • Theatre history
  • Dance and culture
  • Musical theatre
  • Dance technique
  • Dramatic literature

The Courses in Performing Arts include:- 

  • B.A. (Music Tabla)
  • B.A. (Theatre)
  • B.A. (Music Vocal)
  • BPA (Music Tabla)
  • BPA (Theatre)

Following are the Career opportunity:-

  • Actor
  • Community arts worker
  • Dancer
  • Dramatherapist
  • Music therapist
  • Theatre director

Thes are the Top Colleges for Performing Arts:-

  1. Loyola College, Chennai
  2. Christ University, Bangalore
  3. Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar
  4. St. Xavier's College, Mumbai
  5. K. J Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, Mumbai.
Q:   Are there any top ranked government Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu?
A: 

Yes, listed below are the top ranked government Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu along with their tuition fees and India Today ranking 2024:

Public/Govt. Colleges

Total Tuition Fee

India Today 2024 

MCC- Madras Christian College Admission

INR 56,157

7

PSGCAS Admission

INR 30,000

50

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website/ counselling body and may vary.

179
India Today ' 25
(All India)
Excel College for Commerce and Science, Excel Group Institutions
5.0

Placements

5.0

Infrastructure

5.0

Faculty & Course Curriculum

5.0

Crowd & Campus Life

5.0

Value for Money

5.0

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(1)
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Top Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu 2026: Ranking, Fees, Admission, Courses, Placements
Q:   Is it worth joining the top ranked Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu?
A: 

Joining the top ranked Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu 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:

Top Colleges

Total Tuition Fee

Annual Average Package

Loyola College Courses

INR 42,570

INR 4.40 LPA

Stella Maris College Courses

INR 75,000

INR 3.60 LPA

Women's Christian College Courses

INR 1.35 lakh

INR 3 LPA

PSGCAS CoursesINR 30,000INR 3.44 LPA

MCC- Madras Christian College Courses

INR 56,157

INR 3 LPA

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website/ media reports/ NIRF website and may vary.

Q:   What are the options after Bachelor in Fine Arts except Master's in Fine Art?
A: 

A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree will often require an area of specially such as acting, musical theater, ceramics, computer animation, creative writing, dance, dramatic writing, drawing, fibre, film production, visual effects, animation, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, visual arts, technical arts, interior design, metalworking, music, new media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, stage management, or television production.

You may pursue a Masters course in any of the above field.

Q:   Are there any top ranked private Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu?
A: 

Yes, there are many top ranked private Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu. Some of them are mentioned below along with their tuition fees and India Today ranking 2024:

Private Colleges

Total Tuition Fee/Seat Intake

India Today 2024

Loyola College Admission

INR 42,570

8

Stella Maris College Admission

INR 75,000

19

Women's Christian College Admission

INR 1.35 lakh

20

Ethiraj College for Women AdmissionINR 1.30 lakh52
Bon Secours College For Women AdmissionINR 10,000

125

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website/ counselling body and may vary.

Q:   What are the various UG Diploma courses offered in the field of Arts?
A: 

1.     Undergraduate Diploma courses are offered after completing Class 12th and the course duration is within 1-2 years.This course is very different from an undergraduate course in terms of duration as well as fees. Some of these PG Diploma courses are as follows:

Arts Diploma Courses

Diploma in Light Music (Lalitha Sangeetham) - (Distance)

Diploma in Kuchipudi Nrityam

Diploma in Film Writing (Distance)

Diploma in Lalitha Sangeetham        

Diploma in Performing Arts (Vocal

Diploma in Mimicry

Diploma in Yakshaganam

Diploma in Padya Natakam

Diploma in Harikatha

 

188
India Today ' 25
(All India)
Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology
4.1

Placements

3.7

Infrastructure

4.1

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.3

Crowd & Campus Life

4.3

Value for Money

4.0

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(129)
Fees: 72,000
Not Ranked
The Week ' 25
Not Ranked
Outlook ' 24

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