Visual and Performing Arts, Other degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in visual and performing arts, other earn a median $48,154 four years after finishing, across 10 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in visual and performing arts earn $45,232, $16,817 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is other teachers and instructors (9%).
Median across 10 colleges; middle half $45,735–$53,100.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $28,106–$72,099. 1,171 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Visual And Performing Arts"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$9,594/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs visual and performing arts, other graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in visual and performing arts actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Teachers And Instructors | 9% | — | — | — | — |
| Exercise Trainers And Group Fitness Instructors | 4% | $47,160 | +7.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | SR |
| Dancers And Choreographers | 4% | $52,830 | +2.4% | — | — |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 3% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Producers And Directors | 2% | $90,360 | +4.0% | Bachelor's degree | AE |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 2% | $35,230 | +2.0% | No formal educational credential | CSR |
| Artists And Related Workers | 2% | $99,760 | +2.2% | — | — |
These 8 jobs account for 30% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Visual and Performing Arts, Other earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | — | $54,991 (197) |
| New York | $46,535 (3) | $48,881 (179) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where visual and performing arts, other graduates earn the most
The highest graduate earnings among the 65 colleges we cover that offer this major. Pick your state in the table above, or open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-San DiegoCA | $64,822 | $20,000 |
| 2 | University of South FloridaFL | $53,756 | — |
| 3 | SUNY at Purchase CollegeNY | $53,100 | $24,363 |
| 4 | Portland State UniversityOR | $51,248 | — |
| 5 | Illinois State UniversityIL | $49,774 | $22,000 |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkNY | $46,535 | $26,971 |
| 7 | New York UniversityNY | $45,991 | $25,000 |
| 8 | Clemson UniversitySC | $45,735 | $26,972 |
| 9 | Millikin UniversityIL | $43,858 | $26,000 |
| 10 | Berklee College of MusicMA | $37,117 | $27,000 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Visual and Performing Arts, Other degree questions
How much do Visual and Performing Arts, Other graduates make?
Visual and Performing Arts, Other graduates earn a median $48,154 four years after finishing, across 10 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $45,735 to $53,100; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in visual and performing arts, the median is $45,232 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Visual and Performing Arts, Other degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in visual and performing arts earn a median $45,232: $16,817 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $9,594 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Visual and Performing Arts, Other graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in visual and performing arts, the most common jobs are other teachers and instructors (9%), exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (4%), dancers and choreographers (4%).
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Visual and Performing Arts, Other degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/visual-and-performing-arts-other.