Arts, design and media
Art Directors
- Median pay
- $114,850
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
ProgramsVisual and Performing Arts
Visual and Performing Arts, General
CIP50.01
298 colleges offer Visual and Performing Arts, General. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 298
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $41,113
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $21,875
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 100
- Associate's
- 211
- Bachelor's
- 298
- Master's
- 48
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 1
- Doctoral
- 6
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 15
What it covers
About Visual and Performing Arts, General
A general, undifferentiated program that focuses on the visual and performing arts and that may prepare individuals in any of the visual artistic media or performing disciplines.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 50.01.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 50.01.
- Visual and Performing Arts, General
- Digital Arts
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 100 | $57,5614 yrs after · 1 college | $22,9653 colleges |
| Associate's | 211 | $32,3034 yrs after · 10 colleges | $9,4374 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 298 | $41,1134 yrs after · 56 colleges | $21,87570 colleges |
| Master's | 48 | $84,7624 yrs after · 3 colleges | $36,7501 college |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 6 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 15 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Visual and Performing Arts, General graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Burlington, VT · Private nonprofit · 41 graduates
$57,883
debt $27,000
- 2
Texas A & M University-College Station
College Station, TX · Public · 11 graduates
$57,002
debt not reported
- 3
Fairfax, VA · Public · 138 graduates
$54,703
debt $18,000
- 4
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · Public · 73 graduates
$53,829
debt $20,500
- 5
Orlando, FL · Public · 452 graduates
$52,922
debt $17,750
- 6
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO · Public · 37 graduates
$50,205
debt $16,962
- 7
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofit · 29 graduates
$49,175
debt $25,000
- 8
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Tempe, AZ · Public · 13 graduates
$48,589
debt $25,000
- 9
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
Scottsdale, AZ · Public · 13 graduates
$48,589
debt $25,000
- 10
University of Advancing Technology
Tempe, AZ · — · 15 graduates
$48,112
debt $31,718
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Visual and Performing Arts, General by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Arts, design and media
Special Effects Artists and Animators
- Median pay
- $102,030
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
Education
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $78,620
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Master's degree
- Speaking
- Instructing
- Learning Strategies
Arts, design and media
Artists and Related Workers, All Other
- Median pay
- $71,240
- Outlook
- As fast as average
No formal credential
Arts, design and media
Graphic Designers
- Median pay
- $62,960
- Outlook
- Decline
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Active Learning
Arts, design and media
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
- Median pay
- $55,490
- Outlook
- Decline
Bachelor's degree
- Active Learning
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
Arts, design and media
Craft Artists
- Median pay
- $46,080
- Outlook
- As fast as average
No formal credential
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
Arts, design and media
Photographers
- Median pay
- $44,660
- Outlook
- Little or no change
High school diploma
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Service Orientation
More in Visual and Performing Arts
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this areaQuestions about Visual and Performing Arts, General
How many colleges offer Visual and Performing Arts, General?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Visual and Performing Arts, General at these degree levels: certificate (100 colleges), associate's (211 colleges), bachelor's (298 colleges), master's (48 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (1 college), doctoral (6 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (15 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Visual and Performing Arts, General graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Visual and Performing Arts, General earn $41,113 a year four years after finishing, across 56 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Visual and Performing Arts, General graduates earn the most?
Champlain College reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Visual and Performing Arts, General: $57,883 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.