University of California-San Diego Visual and Performing Arts: earnings, debt & careers

Visual and Performing Arts graduates of University of California-San Diego earn a median $45,915 four years after graduating, with median federal loan debt of $15,000. That is $4,759 above the U.S. median for Visual and Performing Arts graduates ($41,156 across 62 colleges), and ranks 3rd of 3 California colleges.

Show numbers for my family

Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$45,915

U.S. median for this major: $41,156.

College Scorecard field of study

Earnings, 1 year after
—

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$15,000

About 33% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,773.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$12,470 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $38,701. College Scorecard.

Visual and Performing Arts at California colleges

Every California college we cover that reports Visual and Performing Arts graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1California State University-San Marcos$48,043$18,750$10,22955%
2Otis College of Art and Design$47,220$27,000$51,24866%
3University of California-San Diego$45,915$15,000$12,47086%

11 more California colleges offer Visual and Performing Arts but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Visual and Performing Arts graduates

Graphic Designers

California$75,130
U.S.$62,960

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -1.7% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Art Directors

San Diego area$126,050
California$137,780
U.S.$114,850

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at University of California-San Diego, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About University of California-San Diego

Related majors at University of California-San Diego

  • Studio Art$48,506
  • Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—

University of California-San Diego Visual and Performing Arts questions

How much do University of California-San Diego Visual and Performing Arts graduates earn?

Visual and Performing Arts graduates of University of California-San Diego earn a median $45,915 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Visual and Performing Arts graduates across 62 colleges is $41,156.

How much debt do University of California-San Diego Visual and Performing Arts graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Visual and Performing Arts graduates of University of California-San Diego is $15,000, about 33% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,773.

Where does University of California-San Diego rank for Visual and Performing Arts in California?

Of 3 California colleges reporting Visual and Performing Arts graduate earnings, University of California-San Diego ranks 3rd. The highest is California State University-San Marcos at $48,043.

What jobs do Visual and Performing Arts graduates get?

A common career is graphic designers, with a median wage of $75,130 in California and $62,960 nationally. Others include art directors.

Is University of California-San Diego the right fit for your family?

Get a free report comparing University of California-San Diego with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.

Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting in

We never share your contact information.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of California-San Diego Visual and Performing Arts: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/visual-and-performing-arts (College Scorecard and BLS data).