Atlanta, GA (population: 571,861) has nine arts schools within its city limits. Emory University, the highest ranked school in the city with an arts program, has a total student population of 12,930. It is the 30th highest ranked school in the USA and the highest in the state of Georgia.
Arts students from Atlanta schools who go on to become artists, graphic designers, journalists, musicians, etc. have a good chance at finding employment. For example, there are 8,900 people working as fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators alone in the US, and their average annual salary is $50,630. Also, Craft artists make on average $33,070 per year and there are about 5,380 of them employed in the US today. In fact, in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta area alone, there are ** employed craft artists earning an average salary of $29,690. Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators in this area earn $26,760/yr and there are 220 employed.
Atlanta lies in Fulton county, which is one of the 106 counties in Georgia. Overall, the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta area has 2,290,890 total employed workers according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a 0% unemployment rate, $22/hr average worker wage, and a $45,520 average annual salary. Thus, about 0 out of every 1000 jobs in Atlanta are held by fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators, and **/1000 are held by craft artists.
Of the 9 arts schools in Atlanta, only 2 have a student population over 10k. After taking into account tuition, living expenses, and financial aid, The Art Institute of Atlanta comes out as the most expensive ($36,852/yr) for arts students, with Atlanta Technical College as the lowest, reported at only $5,914/yr.
| Name | State | Population | # of Schools | Avg School Rank | Total Programs | Distance from Atlanta |
| East Point | GA | 43,748 | 1 | 19.2965 | 19 | 6.9 miles |
| North Atlanta | GA | 51,827 | 0 | - | 0 | 8.6 miles |
| Smyrna | GA | 51,091 | 1 | 28.0461 | 13 | 9.5 miles |
| Clarkston | GA | - | 1 | 14.4911 | 66 | 10.9 miles |
| Dunwoody | GA | - | 2 | 14.3983 | 27 | 13.8 miles |
| Marietta | GA | 68,931 | 9 | 28.245 | 294 | 14.8 miles |
| Norcross | GA | - | 2 | 30.2342 | 8 | 17.3 miles |
| Lilburn | GA | - | 1 | 22.8637 | 13 | 18.3 miles |
| Roswell | GA | 88,928 | 3 | 23.7384 | 79 | 19.7 miles |
| Kennesaw | GA | - | 4 | 32.3396 | 98 | 21.4 miles |
| Alpharetta | GA | 51,285 | 0 | - | 0 | 23.1 miles |
| Conyers | GA | - | 1 | 21.0336 | 7 | 24.0 miles |
| Lawrenceville | GA | - | 6 | 29.0817 | 196 | 28.3 miles |
| Oakwood | GA | - | 2 | 16.9986 | 102 | 44.6 miles |
| Rome | GA | - | 3 | 29.4765 | 155 | 54.8 miles |
| Mount Berry | GA | - | 1 | 63.3969 | 60 | 56.4 miles |
| Lagrange | GA | - | 2 | 12.8452 | 41 | 61.3 miles |
| Dalton | GA | - | 1 | 15.0432 | 33 | 76.6 miles |
| Macon | GA | 94,286 | 6 | 33.1618 | 295 | 77.3 miles |
| Toccoa Falls | GA | - | 1 | 28.3429 | 33 | 83.8 miles |
| Rock Spring | GA | - | 1 | 1.08982 | 0 | 87.3 miles |
| Fort Valley | GA | - | 1 | 21.9471 | 51 | 89.0 miles |
| Warner Robins | GA | 64,183 | 3 | 21.3509 | 61 | 91.8 miles |
| Phenix City | AL | - | 1 | 9.50663 | 23 | 95.3 miles |