Visual and Performing Arts, Other

57
Schools
Bachelor's
Credential Level
$38,575
National Avg Earnings

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Visual and Performing Arts, Other

Visual and Performing Arts, Other is tracked across 57 U.S. postsecondary institutions in the College Scorecard field-of-study file, which links CIP code classifications from IPEDS to Treasury earnings records. This profile covers the bachelor's credential level specifically, because the Department of Education reports program-level outcomes separately for associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards. The CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) taxonomy lets analysts roll up specialties into broader families, which is why earnings medians across schools can be compared on a common basis.

Across all reporting institutions, the mean of school-level medians is $38,575, calculated from 20 schools with published earnings data. The earnings distribution stretches from $9,375 at the low end to $64,822 at the top, with a 25th-75th percentile band between $27,488 and $49,774 around a median of $39,927. The top-reporting institution in this program is University of California-San Diego at $64,822. These numbers reflect earnings measured roughly a year after completion, using Social Security Administration tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants.

Variation across schools matters more than a single national figure. Completers counts reported per school indicate how many graduates’ earnings feed the median, which means small programs produce more volatile numbers. Median debt at the program level, when paired with earnings, yields a debt-to-earnings ratio that is the College Scorecard’s standard affordability signal — ratios under 1.0 indicate earnings exceed cumulative debt. Use the school-by-school table to spot institutions where Visual and Performing Arts, Other graduates out-earn peers at comparable cost, and to surface gainful-employment patterns that only become visible at the CIP-code level.

New York University accounts for 34.1% of all Visual and Performing Arts, Other bachelor's credential graduates

That concentration — well above the 5% national median for largest-entity share — means Visual and Performing Arts, Other-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. That school produced 125 graduates in the most recent cohort, anchoring a meaningful slice of national supply for this field. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

Visual and Performing Arts, Other bachelor's credential median earnings varies 6.9× across entities

Visual and Performing Arts, Other bachelor's credential median earnings ranges from $9,375 (lowest) to $64,822 (highest), a spread of $55,447. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme earnings stratification across institutions — graduates of the same field can earn dramatically different starting salaries depending on the school’s reputation, regional employer mix, and selectivity. Earnings are measured roughly one year after completion using IRS records linked to federal aid recipients (see https://www.irs.gov/) — not all completers are captured, but the school-level medians correlate strongly with longer-term earnings trajectories.

Source: College Scorecard Field of Study file; U.S. Treasury earnings linkage College Scorecard Field of Study file; U.S. Treasury earnings linkage

Visual and Performing Arts, Other bachelor's credential median debt varies 2.2× across entities

Visual and Performing Arts, Other bachelor's credential median debt ranges from $19,968 (lowest) to $43,000 (highest), a spread of $23,032. That spread reflects typical institutional cost differences — public in-state, public out-of-state, and private school financing models produce predictable spreads. Median debt counts only those students who borrowed federal loans — students who paid out-of-pocket or received institutional grants are excluded from the borrower median, which can flatter low-debt schools.

Source: College Scorecard Field of Study file; IPEDS financial aid data College Scorecard Field of Study file; IPEDS financial aid data

Visual and Performing Arts, Other debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.96 — near the typical range (US average ~1) — aligned with the typical 1:1 ratio that defines federal gainful-employment thresholds

debt-to-earnings ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: this ratio uses federal loan principal, not all education debt — private loans, parent PLUS loans not in the borrower’s name, and institutional debt are excluded Variation between sub-units within Visual and Performing Arts, Other is typically wider than the Visual and Performing Arts, Other-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: College Scorecard Field of Study file College Scorecard Field of Study file

Earnings Distribution

Min
$9,375
25th %ile
$27,488
Median
$39,927
75th %ile
$49,774
Max
$64,822
$9,375 $64,822

Top Schools for This Program

School Name State Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
University of California-San Diego CA $64,822 $19,968
University of South Florida FL 22 $53,756
SUNY at Purchase College NY $53,100 $22,798
Portland State University OR 14 $51,248
Illinois State University IL 0 $49,774 $21,875
Columbia University in the City of New York NY 74 $46,535 $26,985
New York University NY 125 $45,991 $23,250
Clemson University SC 15 $45,735 $22,250
Millikin University IL 8 $43,858 $26,000
Baldwin Wallace University OH 16 $39,927
Duke University NC 13 $38,636
University of Chicago IL 16 $38,289
Berklee College of Music MA $37,117 $27,000
Nazareth University NY 6 $32,029
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI 13 $27,488
Cornell University NY 18 $27,439
Elon University NC $26,739 $24,526
Brigham Young University UT 12 $25,194
Western Illinois University IL 10 $14,453
Grambling State University LA 5 $9,375 $43,000

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Visual and Performing Arts, Other graduates earn?
Visual and Performing Arts, Other graduates earn $38,575 on average across 57 schools. Earnings range from $9,375 to $64,822 depending on the institution.
Which school pays the most for Visual and Performing Arts, Other?
University of California-San Diego has the highest reported median earnings for Visual and Performing Arts, Other graduates at $64,822, based on College Scorecard data.
What credential do you get in Visual and Performing Arts, Other?
Visual and Performing Arts, Other programs typically award a Bachelor's credential. Earnings vary by school and credential level.

About This Data

Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Median earnings represent graduates who received federal financial aid, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid applicants. Completers count and debt figures reflect program-level data reported through IPEDS. Data is updated annually.

Earnings data sourced from IRS records via the U.S. Treasury–Department of Education matching protocol used by the College Scorecard.