University of Missouri-Columbia Visual and Performing Arts: earnings, debt & careers

Visual and Performing Arts graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia earn a median $50,205 four years after graduating ($29,775 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $21,719. That is $9,049 above the U.S. median for Visual and Performing Arts graduates ($41,156 across 62 colleges), and ranks 1st of 2 Missouri colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$50,205

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

College Scorecard field of study; 41 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$29,775

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$21,719

About 43% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,773.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$20,268 /yr

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

Sticker price $31,713. College Scorecard.

University of Missouri-Columbia Visual and Performing Arts: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

University of Missouri-Columbia graduates$50,205

Fewer than 3 Missouri colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.

U.S. median (62 colleges)$41,156 (+$9,049)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Visual and Performing Arts nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses University of Missouri-Columbia's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$13,841$59,5164.0 years
$30–48k$13,378$57,5253.9 years
$48–75k$13,722$59,0054.0 years
$75–110k$19,762$84,9775.8 years
$110k+$26,304$113,1077.7 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (56% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Visual and Performing Arts graduates 4 years after graduating ($50,205) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,767 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Visual and Performing Arts at Missouri colleges

Every Missouri 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
1University of Missouri-Columbia$50,205$21,719$20,26875%
2Southeast Missouri State University$33,293$26,750$15,88258%

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

Careers for Visual and Performing Arts graduates

Graphic Designers

Columbia area$49,490
Missouri$56,750
U.S.$62,960

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

Art Directors

Columbia area$80,060
Missouri$100,940
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 Missouri-Columbia, by income

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

College Scorecard

About University of Missouri-Columbia

Related majors at University of Missouri-Columbia

University of Missouri-Columbia Visual and Performing Arts questions

How much do University of Missouri-Columbia Visual and Performing Arts graduates earn?

Visual and Performing Arts graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia earn a median $50,205 four years after graduating and $29,775 one year after. The U.S. median for Visual and Performing Arts graduates across 62 colleges is $41,156.

How much debt do University of Missouri-Columbia Visual and Performing Arts graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Visual and Performing Arts graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia is $21,719, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,773.

Where does University of Missouri-Columbia rank for Visual and Performing Arts in Missouri?

Of 2 Missouri colleges reporting Visual and Performing Arts graduate earnings, University of Missouri-Columbia ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Visual and Performing Arts graduates get?

A common career is graphic designers, with a median wage of $49,490 in the Columbia, MO area and $62,960 nationally. Others include art directors.

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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
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Cite this: “University of Missouri-Columbia Visual and Performing Arts: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-missouri-columbia/majors/visual-and-performing-arts (College Scorecard and BLS data).