The College of the Arts is a recipient of many awards and distinctions, and is among only a handful of colleges across the nation that are accredited by all four national arts arts-accreditation agencies:
- National Association of Schools for Art and Design
- National Association of Schools for Music
- National Association of Schools for Dance
- National Association of Schools for Theatre
College Awards and Distinctions (abbreviated list)
Academic Unit recognitions
- New Jersey State designated Center of Excellence in the Arts (continuing status)
- Gracie Allen Award for American Women in Radio and Television
- Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award
- Gracie Award
- Award for Creative Excellence, U.S. International Film and Video Festival
- Telly Award
- Grand Award for Excellence, Apex (multiple years)
- Certificate of Merit, Admissions Marketing Report National Recruitment Video Competition
- American College Dance Festival National Recognitions (multiple years)
- American College Dance Festival Regional Recognitions (multiple years)
- American College Theatre Festival Regional Recognitions (multiple years)
- National College Choreographic Initiative Grants (multiple years)
- New Jersey State Council on the Arts – Citation of Excellence
- Bergen Foundation, Grant for Outreach Touring
Arts and Cultural Programming Unit recognitions
- Association of Performing Arts Presenters Creative Campus Innovations Grant Program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. (Montclair State was one of six nationwide universities to receive this highly competitive award)
- National Endowment for the Arts (eight consecutive annual grants)
- “American Masterpieces” Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
- New Jersey State Council on the Arts (eight consecutive annual grants)
- New England Foundation for the Arts/ National Dance Project (eight grants)
- Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation (three grants)