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Visual & Performing Arts

Instructional programs that focus on the creation and interpretation of works and performances that use auditory, kinesthetic, and visual phenomena to express ideas and emotions in various forms, subject to aesthetic criteria.

Types of Degrees Visual & Performing Arts Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Visual & Performing Arts can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	8,919
Associate’s Degree	21,054
Bachelor’s Degree	95,619
Master’s Degree	25,861
Doctor’s Degree	1,908

What Visual & Performing Arts Majors Need to Know

Programs in Visual & Performing Arts emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Visual & Performing Arts graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Visual & Performing Arts emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Fine Arts — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Visual & Performing Arts program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Visual & Performing Arts careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Visual & Performing Arts graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.6 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Working with Computers	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Visual & Performing Arts professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe InDesign	Desktop publishing software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Visual & Performing Arts graduates include:

• Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Associate Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Dance Instructor
• College Faculty Member
• College Professor
• Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Adjunct Professor
• Music Educator
• Choir Teacher
• Band Teacher
• Piano Teacher
• Vocal Teacher

What Can You Do With a Visual & Performing Arts Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Visual & Performing Arts commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Curators	4.1%	$79,764	$63,972–$95,555
Archivists	1.6%	$53,759	$45,900–$61,618
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	1.8%	$77,927	$66,306–$89,549
Museum Technicians and Conservators	0.0%	$96,273	$78,940–$113,607

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Visual & Performing Arts graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	35.5%
Bachelor’s degree	22.7%
Doctoral degree	20.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	6.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.6%
Some college courses	3.5%
Postsecondary certificate	2.8%
Less than a high school diploma	1.9%
Post-master’s certificate	1.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.3%
First professional degree	0.4%
Post-doctoral training	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Visual & Performing Arts?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 62.6% of Visual & Performing Arts degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	96,315	62.6%
Men	57,622	37.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Visual & Performing Arts graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	77,350	50.2%
Asian	10,377	6.7%
Hispanic or Latino	28,840	18.7%
Black or African American	12,630	8.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	757	0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	229	0.1%
Two or More Races	7,391	4.8%
Race Unknown	4,304	2.8%
International Students	12,059	7.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Visual & Performing Arts Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Visual & Performing Arts graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$27,422
4 years	$37,283
5 years	$42,578

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $42,578 — roughly 55% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Visual & Performing Arts Programs

Online study are documented by IPEDS for Visual & Performing Arts. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	196	336
Bachelor’s	214	338
Master’s	184	174
Doctoral (Research)	6	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Visual & Performing Arts Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Visual & Performing Arts graduates earn a median of $37,283 four years after completion — about 2% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.