Visual and Performing Arts, General
CIP Code: 50.0101A visual and performing arts, general degree prepares graduates for careers in Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary, Artists and related workers, all other, Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators and more. 267 colleges and universities offer this program.
Visual and Performing Arts, General Salary by College
Nationally, bachelor’s graduates in this field earn a median $41,688 four years after graduating (middle half: $25,771–$59,858). Where you study it matters: across 68 colleges with reported results, pay ranges from $27,875 to $65,848.
Sort by:
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | 1 yr after | Median debt | Outcome Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fordham University Bronx, NY | $65,848 | $62,674 | $41,165 | $27,000 | A+ |
| 2 | Champlain College Burlington, VT | $57,883 | $59,451 | $30,138 | $27,000 | B |
| 3 | Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX | $57,002 | $57,954 | — | $21,327 | A |
| 4 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA | $54,703 | $49,812 | $31,941 | $21,125 | B+ |
| 5 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX | $53,829 | $54,728 | $29,707 | $21,250 | A+ |
| 6 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | $52,922 | $56,329 | $28,878 | $22,481 | B+ |
| 7 | University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO | $50,205 | $53,830 | $29,775 | $20,250 | A |
| 8 | Lesley University Cambridge, MA | $49,175 | $43,304 | $20,600 | $19,625 | D |
| 10 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ | $48,589 | $49,926 | $22,817 | $21,480 | B+ |
| 9 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ | $48,589 | $49,926 | $22,817 | $21,480 | B+ |
| 11 | University of Advancing Technology Tempe, AZ | $48,112 | $49,436 | $27,824 | $29,750 | B+ |
| 12 | California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA | $48,043 | $43,716 | $27,741 | $18,625 | C+ |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater, WI | $47,819 | $49,758 | $28,226 | $22,398 | C+ |
| 15 | University of Florida-Online Gainesville, FL | $47,546 | $50,607 | $30,629 | $18,657 | A |
| 14 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | $47,546 | $50,607 | $30,629 | $18,657 | A+ |
| 16 | SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY | $47,321 | $45,040 | $19,135 | $19,891 | C+ |
| 17 | Otis College of Art and Design Los Angeles, CA | $47,220 | $42,967 | $21,558 | $27,000 | C |
| 18 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH | $46,944 | $50,096 | $18,819 | $26,869 | C |
| 19 | University of Toledo Toledo, OH | $46,198 | $49,300 | $26,625 | $25,000 | C |
| 20 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | $45,915 | $41,780 | — | $15,000 | A+ |
| 21 | Rasmussen University-Minnesota St. Cloud, MN | $45,899 | $43,843 | — | — | B |
| 25 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus University Park, PA | $45,170 | $45,938 | $25,702 | $24,225 | C+ |
| 24 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington Abington, PA | $45,170 | $45,938 | $25,702 | $24,225 | C+ |
| 23 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA | $45,170 | $45,938 | $25,702 | $24,225 | A |
| 22 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Altoona, PA | $45,170 | $45,938 | $25,702 | $24,225 | C+ |
| 26 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus Albuquerque, NM | $44,091 | $51,050 | $25,286 | $15,000 | C |
| 27 | Longwood University Farmville, VA | $44,066 | $40,126 | $34,812 | $27,000 | D |
| 28 | Empire State University Saratoga Springs, NY | $43,473 | $41,377 | — | — | C |
| 29 | Academy of Art University San Francisco, CA | $43,084 | $39,204 | $28,494 | $31,000 | F |
| 30 | Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah, NJ | $43,063 | $37,796 | — | $22,719 | B |
| 31 | Southern Oregon University Ashland, OR | $43,044 | $43,298 | $17,228 | $20,833 | D |
| 32 | Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA | $42,907 | $39,071 | $23,656 | $25,000 | C+ |
| 33 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA | $42,731 | $43,458 | $20,667 | $26,000 | B+ |
| 34 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ | $42,219 | $43,381 | $24,691 | $26,465 | C |
| 35 | University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA | $41,509 | $37,798 | $29,130 | $20,250 | C+ |
| 37 | Montclair State University Montclair, NJ | $41,156 | $36,122 | — | — | C+ |
| 36 | Bloomfield College Bloomfield, NJ | $41,156 | $36,122 | — | — | D |
| 38 | University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI | $41,129 | $42,797 | — | $28,000 | B |
| 39 | State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz, NY | $41,097 | $39,116 | $19,893 | $18,000 | C+ |
| 40 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KY | $40,538 | $45,901 | $26,343 | $20,250 | B+ |
| 41 | University of North Carolina Asheville Asheville, NC | $40,444 | $43,402 | $23,023 | $22,582 | D |
| 42 | Stockton University Galloway, NJ | $40,199 | $35,282 | $20,705 | $23,750 | C |
| 43 | Bennington College Bennington, VT | $39,958 | $41,040 | $20,809 | $27,000 | F |
| 44 | SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NY | $39,791 | $37,873 | $22,024 | $27,000 | F |
| 45 | Iowa State University Ames, IA | $39,403 | $41,447 | — | — | B+ |
| 46 | Worcester State University Worcester, MA | $39,037 | $34,376 | — | — | C |
| 47 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS | $38,939 | $47,245 | $24,752 | $27,000 | B |
| 48 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth North Dartmouth, MA | $38,676 | $34,058 | $25,753 | $15,000 | C+ |
| 49 | University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS | $38,599 | $46,833 | — | — | C |
| 50 | Rogers State University Claremore, OK | $37,996 | $42,660 | — | — | F |
| 51 | The University of Tennessee-Martin Martin, TN | $37,930 | $41,434 | $25,660 | $19,401 | D |
| 52 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX | $37,825 | $38,457 | $28,494 | $19,500 | A |
| 53 | University of Houston-Downtown Houston, TX | $37,668 | $38,297 | $19,527 | — | C |
| 54 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO | $37,628 | $35,190 | $30,966 | $24,500 | D |
| 55 | Wichita State University Wichita, KS | $37,012 | $38,424 | $20,013 | $22,126 | C |
| 56 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FL | $36,870 | $39,243 | $22,439 | $26,533 | D |
| 58 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus Bend, OR | $35,819 | $36,030 | — | — | B |
| 57 | Oregon State University Corvallis, OR | $35,819 | $36,030 | — | — | B+ |
| 59 | Marshall University Huntington, WV | $35,126 | $41,556 | — | $27,111 | C |
| 60 | Stetson University Deland, FL | $35,045 | $37,301 | $26,913 | $27,000 | C+ |
| 61 | New York Institute of Technology Old Westbury, NY | $34,055 | $32,413 | — | — | B+ |
| 62 | SUNY College at Potsdam Potsdam, NY | $33,743 | $32,116 | — | $26,474 | F |
| 63 | Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO | $33,293 | $35,697 | $26,668 | $23,320 | D |
| 64 | Jackson State University Jackson, MS | $33,213 | $40,298 | $23,555 | $30,495 | F |
| 65 | Savannah State University Savannah, GA | $33,175 | $34,343 | — | $33,260 | F |
| 66 | Salem State University Salem, MA | $32,484 | $28,606 | $24,699 | $25,874 | D |
| 67 | Mississippi University for Women Columbus, MS | $29,090 | $35,295 | — | — | C |
| 68 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces, NM | $27,875 | $32,275 | $18,470 | $28,500 | F |
Bachelor’s degrees. Wage-adjusted = pay ÷ √(state wage index). Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data.
What Can You Do With a Visual and Performing Arts, General Degree?
Graduates with this degree pursue careers in the following fields:
Best Colleges for Visual and Performing Arts, General
Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees awarded. These are the top-rated colleges that produce the most graduates in visual and performing arts, general.
Largest Visual and Performing Arts, General Programs
Schools ranked by number of graduates. These institutions produce the most visual and performing arts, general graduates annually, including online and distance learning programs.
About Visual and Performing Arts, General
Visual and Performing Arts, General is a degree program offered at 267 colleges and universities across the United States. Each year, approximately 3,333 students graduate with this degree.
Graduates with this degree can pursue careers such as art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary, artists and related workers, all other, fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators, photographers, craft artists.