Visual and Performing Arts: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Visual and Performing Arts is a broad, interdisciplinary field dedicated to the study, creation, and critical analysis of artistic expression across multiple mediums. This program equips students with foundational and advanced skills in both visual and performance-based disciplines, fostering creativity, technical proficiency, and cultural awareness.
- Studio Art: Exploration of drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture through hands-on practice and conceptual development.
- Photography: Study of image-making techniques, digital and analog processes, and visual storytelling across artistic and documentary contexts.
- Graphic Design: Application of visual communication principles, typography, layout, and digital tools to solve design challenges across media.
- Theatre Arts: In-depth engagement with acting, directing, stagecraft, playwriting, and production management in live performance settings.
- Dance: Training in choreography, performance, technique, and movement analysis across various dance styles and cultural traditions.
- Musical Performance: Development of instrumental or vocal proficiency, ensemble collaboration, and interpretation of diverse musical genres and repertoires.
- Art History and Criticism: Examination of historical and contemporary art movements, visual culture, and theoretical frameworks that shape artistic discourse.
Visual and Performing Arts Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Visual and Performing Arts Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Visual and Performing Arts degrees, including Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, Artists and Related Workers, All Other and Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 170,860 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1121 | $80,190 | $47,040 - $194,530 | 97,890 | N/A |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other 27-1019 | $72,760 | $33,720 - $133,180 | 7,370 | $34.98 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators 27-1013 | $60,560 | $26,420 - $140,660 | 10,000 | $29.12 |
| Photographers 27-4021 | $42,520 | $29,610 - $94,760 | 51,230 | $20.44 |
| Craft Artists 27-1012 | $38,480 | $22,620 - $65,850 | 4,370 | $18.50 |
Visual and Performing Arts Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $39,837 in Kansas to $96,765 in District of Columbia—a 143% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, California, and Vermont. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 170,860 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Visual and Performing Arts by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Visual and Performing Arts programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Visual and Performing Arts is found at George Mason University (139 graduates), Columbus State Community College (CSCC) (114 graduates), Victor Valley College (VVC) (84 graduates), San Jacinto Community College (80 graduates), and California State University (CSUSM), San Marcos (80 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 2,669 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Mason University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
139 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| Columbus State Community College (CSCC) |
Residency
|
114 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | cscc.edu |
| Victor Valley College (VVC) |
Associate's
|
84 | Victorville, California | Public | vvc.edu |
| San Jacinto Community College |
Associate's
|
80 | Pasadena, Texas | Public | sanjac.edu |
| California State University (CSUSM) |
Bachelor's
|
80 | San Marcos, California | Public | csusm.edu |
| University of California (UCSD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
74 | La Jolla, California | Public | ucsd.edu |
| Connecticut State Community College (CT State) |
Associate's
|
66 | Hartford, Connecticut | Public | ctstate.edu |
| Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) |
Bachelor's
|
60 | Cape Girardeau, Missouri | Public | semo.edu |
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) |
Associate's
|
56 | Perkinston, Mississippi | Public | mgccc.edu |
| Fullerton College |
Associate's
|
54 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullcoll.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
53 | Richardson, Texas | Public | utdallas.edu |
| Bloomfield College |
Bachelor's
|
52 | Bloomfield, New Jersey | Private | bloomfield.edu |
| Pima Community College (PCC) |
Associate's
|
51 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | pima.edu |
| Christopher Newport University (CNU) |
Bachelor's
|
49 | Newport News, Virginia | Public | cnu.edu |
| Mississippi State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
|
46 | Mississippi State, Mississippi | Public | msstate.edu |
| SUNY Westchester Community College |
Associate's
|
44 | Valhalla, New York | Public | sunywcc.edu |
| Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) |
Associate's
|
40 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | ccbcmd.edu |
| SUNY |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
39 | Purchase, New York | Public | purchase.edu |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) |
Bachelor's
|
36 | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Public | uccs.edu |
| Harvard University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
36 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| Golden West College (GWC) |
Associate's
|
34 | Huntington Beach, California | Public | goldenwestcollege.edu |
| State University of New York |
Bachelor's
|
32 | New Paltz, New York | Public | newpaltz.edu |
| Suffolk County Community College (SUNY) |
Associate's
|
32 | Selden, New York | Public | sunysuffolk.edu |
| Citrus College |
Associate's
|
31 | Glendora, California | Public | citruscollege.edu |
| Wichita State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
Residency
|
31 | Wichita, Kansas | Public | wichita.edu |
| Stockton University |
Bachelor's
|
31 | Galloway, New Jersey | Public | stockton.edu |
| Azusa Pacific University (APU) |
Bachelor's
|
30 | Azusa, California | Private | apu.edu |
| Saint Mary's College of California |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Moraga, California | Private | stmarys-ca.edu |
| Ocean County College (OCC) |
Associate's
|
29 | Toms River, New Jersey | Public | ocean.edu |
| Marshall University |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Huntington, West Virginia | Public | marshall.edu |
| University of Southern Mississippi (USM) |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | Public | usm.edu |
| Pellissippi State Community College (PSTCC) |
Associate's
|
27 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | pstcc.edu |
| Rice University |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Houston, Texas | Private | rice.edu |
| Bennington College |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Bennington, Vermont | Private | bennington.edu |
| Pasadena City College (PCC) |
Associate's
|
26 | Pasadena, California | Public | pasadena.edu |
| Santa Monica College (SMC) |
Associate's
|
25 | Santa Monica, California | Public | smc.edu |
| New Mexico State University (NMSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
25 | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Public | nmsu.edu |
| Dutchess Community College (DCC) |
Associate's
|
24 | Poughkeepsie, New York | Public | sunydutchess.edu |
| Longwood University |
Bachelor's
|
23 | Farmville, Virginia | Public | longwood.edu |
| Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC) |
Associate's
|
22 | Woodland Hills, California | Public | lapc.edu |
| Eckerd College |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Saint Petersburg, Florida | Private | eckerd.edu |
| Arkansas State University (ASU-Beebe) |
Associate's
|
21 | Beebe, Arkansas | Public | asub.edu |
| Mt San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) |
Associate's
|
21 | Walnut, California | Public | mtsac.edu |
| Iowa State University (ISU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
21 | Ames, Iowa | Public | iastate.edu |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) |
Associate's
|
21 | New York, New York | Public | bmcc.cuny.edu |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU) |
Bachelor's
|
21 | East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania | Public | esu.edu |
| Chattanooga State Community College |
Associate's
|
21 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Public | chattanoogastate.edu |
| University of Houston (UHD) |
Bachelor's
|
21 | Houston, Texas | Public | uhd.edu |
| Bakersfield College (BC) |
Associate's
|
20 | Bakersfield, California | Public | bakersfieldcollege.edu |
| University of Wisconsin |
Other Award
|
20 | Whitewater, Wisconsin | Public | uww.edu |
| Rogers State University (RSU) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Claremore, Oklahoma | Public | rsu.edu |
| Long Beach City College (LBCC) |
Associate's
|
18 | Long Beach, California | Public | lbcc.edu |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
18 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | saic.edu |
| College of the Holy Cross |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Worcester, Massachusetts | Private | holycross.edu |
| Moorpark College |
Associate's
|
17 | Moorpark, California | Public | moorparkcollege.edu |
| Lynn University |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Boca Raton, Florida | Private | lynn.edu |
| Albany State University (ASU) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Albany, Georgia | Public | asurams.edu |
| Ramapo College of New Jersey |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Mahwah, New Jersey | Public | ramapo.edu |
| Rockland Community College (RCC) |
Associate's
|
17 | Suffern, New York | Public | sunyrockland.edu |
| Bob Jones University (BJU) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Greenville, South Carolina | Private | bju.edu |
| University of Mary Washington (UMW) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Fredericksburg, Virginia | Public | umw.edu |
| Mercer County Community College (MCCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
16 | West Windsor, New Jersey | Public | mccc.edu |
| Middlesex College (MCC) |
Associate's
|
16 | Edison, New Jersey | Public | middlesexcollege.edu |
| Clovis Community College (CCC) |
Associate's
|
16 | Fresno, California | Public | cloviscollege.edu |
| SUNY Old Westbury |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Old Westbury, New York | Public | oldwestbury.edu |
| Temple University |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Public | temple.edu |
| Champlain College |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Burlington, Vermont | Private | champlain.edu |
| University of California |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Merced, California | Public | ucmerced.edu |
| Riverside City College (RCC) |
Associate's
|
14 | Riverside, California | Public | rcc.edu |
| Mississippi University for Women (MUW) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Columbus, Mississippi | Public | muw.edu |
| Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
14 | Annandale, Virginia | Public | nvcc.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Saddleback College |
Associate's
|
13 | Mission Viejo, California | Public | saddleback.edu |
| Missouri State University |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Springfield, Missouri | Public | missouristate.edu |
| The University of Tennessee |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Martin, Tennessee | Public | utm.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Salem College |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Private | salem.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
12 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Butler Community College |
Associate's
|
11 | El Dorado, Kansas | Public | butlercc.edu |
| State Fair Community College (SFCC) |
Associate's
|
11 | Sedalia, Missouri | Public | sfccmo.edu |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Madison, New Jersey | Private | fdu.edu |
| North Carolina Central University (NCCU) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Durham, North Carolina | Public | nccu.edu |
| Texas Tech University (TTU) |
Postbac Cert.
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
11 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttu.edu |
| American River College (ARC) |
Associate's
|
10 | Sacramento, California | Public | arc.losrios.edu |
| University of San Francisco (USF) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | San Francisco, California | Private | usfca.edu |
| Sierra College |
Associate's
|
10 | Rocklin, California | Public | sierracollege.edu |
| University of Louisiana (UL Lafayette) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Lafayette, Louisiana | Public | louisiana.edu |
| East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) |
Associate's
|
10 | Scooba, Mississippi | Public | eastms.edu |
| Jackson State University (JSU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Jackson, Mississippi | Public | jsums.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
|
10 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| Young Americans College of the Performing Arts (YACPA) |
Associate's
|
10 | Corona, California | Private | yacollege.edu |
| Antelope Valley Community College District (AVCCD) |
Associate's
|
9 | Lancaster, California | Public | avc.edu |
| De Anza College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
9 | Cupertino, California | Public | deanza.edu |
| Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) |
Associate's
|
9 | Santa Rosa, California | Public | santarosa.edu |
| University of New Mexico (UNM) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | unm.edu |
| Iona University |
Bachelor's
|
9 | New Rochelle, New York | Private | iona.edu |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Troy, New York | Private | rpi.edu |
| Ulster County Community College |
Associate's
|
9 | Stone Ridge, New York | Public | sunyulster.edu |
| Tusculum University |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Greeneville, Tennessee | Private | tusculum.edu |
| Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) |
Associate's
|
9 | Charlottesville, Virginia | Public | pvcc.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Visual and Performing Arts programs
How much can I earn with a Visual and Performing Arts degree?
Salaries for Visual and Performing Arts graduates vary by role and location. Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $80,190 annually, while Artists and Related Workers, All Other earn around $72,760. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $96,765 compared to $39,837 in Kansas. Approximately 170,860 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Visual and Performing Arts programs?
Currently 267 accredited institutions offer Visual and Performing Arts degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include George Mason University (139 graduates), Columbus State Community College (CSCC) (114 graduates), and Victor Valley College (VVC) (84 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Visual and Performing Arts growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 2,627 in 2010 to a peak of 3,340 in 2020, before declining slightly to 3,333 in 2023-24. This represents a 27% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Visual and Performing Arts degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, Artists and Related Workers, All Other, and Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators. Related occupations employ approximately 170,860 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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