Visual and Performing Arts, Other: 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 10 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Visual and Performing Arts, Other pays
Career outlook for Visual and Performing Arts, Other graduates
The job market for the occupations Visual and Performing Arts, Other 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary | 122,800 | +1.7% | $80,190 | Master'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.
Visual and Performing Arts, Other vs similar majors
How Visual and Performing Arts, Other stacks up against the closest fields in Visual & Performing Arts on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other Visual & Performing Arts · this major | Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | Design and Applied Arts | Film/Video and Photographic Arts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 17 F | 20 F | 24 F | 15 F |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Poor return | Poor return | Poor return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $46,078 | $49,346 | $48,751 | $41,788 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $28,029 | $33,236 | $33,324 | $25,156 |
| ROI vs cost | -87% | -48% | -54% | -138% |
| Typical debt | $35,747 | $33,258 | $24,245 | $33,608 |
| Colleges offering it | 10 | 58 | 416 | 169 |
Visual and Performing Arts, Other 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 Visual and Performing Arts, Other
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 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Associate's | $77,285 | $26,985 | +509% | Strong return |
| 2 | SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NY | Associate's | $59,410 | $22,798 | +212% | Strong return |
| 3 | New York University New York, NY | Associate's | $65,953 | $23,250 | +154% | Strong return |
| 4 | New York University New York, NY | Certificate | $63,944 | $88,009 | +5% | Break-even |
| 5 | Berklee College of Music Boston, MA | Certificate | $47,453 | — | -88% | Poor return |
| 6 | Illinois State University Normal, IL | Associate's | $44,262 | $21,875 | -116% | Poor return |
| 7 | Berklee College of Music Boston, MA | Associate's | $26,158 | $27,000 | -273% | Poor return |
| 8 | Elon University Elon, NC | Associate's | $16,958 | $24,526 | -405% | Poor return |
| 9 | Saint Johns River State College Palatka, FL | Certificate | $17,916 | — | -4,515% | Poor return |
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.