Medical Illustration and Informatics: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 15 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Medical Illustration and Informatics pays
Career outlook for Medical Illustration and Informatics graduates
The job market for the occupations Medical Illustration and Informatics graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer occupations, all other | 472,000 | +8.2% | $108,970 | Bachelor's degree |
| Postsecondary teachers, all other | 183,400 | +1.8% | $78,490 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Health information technologists and medical registrars | 41,900 | +14.7% | $67,310 | Associate's degree |
| Computer and information research scientists | 40,300 | +19.7% | $140,910 | Master's degree |
| Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators | 26,500 | -1.2% | $60,560 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Medical Illustration and Informatics vs similar majors
How Medical Illustration and Informatics stacks up against the closest fields in Health Professions & Nursing on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Medical Illustration and Informatics Health Professions & Nursing · this major | Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | Medicine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 82 A | 80 A | 80 A | 80 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $94,448 | $226,546 | $214,065 | $162,555 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $72,651 | $212,530 | $166,304 | $65,892 |
| ROI vs cost | +470% | +1,129% | +1,565% | +708% |
| Typical debt | $40,430 | $207,643 | $81,076 | $201,913 |
| Colleges offering it | 15 | 33 | 6 | 155 |
Medical Illustration and Informatics earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Medical Illustration and Informatics
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI | Certificate | $75,295 | — | +1,918% | Strong return |
| 2 | Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UT | Associate's | $89,508 | $20,346 | +1,269% | Strong return |
| 3 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA | Certificate | $119,637 | — | +942% | Strong return |
| 4 | University of South Florida Tampa, FL | Certificate | $93,300 | $34,129 | +835% | Strong return |
| 5 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI | Associate's | $69,645 | — | +707% | Strong return |
| 6 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Certificate | $137,491 | $45,980 | +593% | Strong return |
| 7 | Northeastern University Boston, MA | Certificate | $112,151 | — | +443% | Strong return |
| 8 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL | Certificate | $68,784 | — | +442% | Strong return |
| 9 | Augusta University Augusta, GA | Certificate | $74,353 | — | +432% | Strong return |
| 10 | Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY | Associate's | $69,096 | — | +245% | Strong return |
| 11 | Walden University Minneapolis, MN | Certificate | $84,228 | $41,000 | +161% | Strong return |
| 12 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL | Certificate | $82,196 | $80,624 | +147% | Strong return |
| 13 | Northeastern University Professional Programs Boston, MA | Certificate | $112,151 | — | — | Not enough data |
| 14 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX | Certificate | $123,632 | $20,500 | — | Not enough data |
| 15 | Loma Linda University Loma Linda, CA | Certificate | $105,246 | — | — | Not enough data |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.