How much do Visual and Performing Arts, General bachelor's degree graduates from University of California, San Diego earn?

The reported median is $45,915 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $15,000.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 10% above the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Visual and Performing Arts, General bachelor's degree at University of California, San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are notably above similar programs.

$4,227 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 32.7% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −96% · Negative payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price−$170,850

$8,000Annual price−$202,850

$12,000Current college-wide context−$218,850

$16,000Annual price−$234,850

$24,000Annual price−$266,850

$32,000Annual price−$298,850

$40,000Annual price−$330,850

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

Not availableEarnings growth, year 1 → 5Not available → $46,800

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

27Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

34Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

53Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

200Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

36Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

133Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

79Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

40Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,082Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$45,915$9,833 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$12,470

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$15,000

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$45,915

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$159/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →

AVERAGE NET PRICE$12,470Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$38,701Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE26.7%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE86.1%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

Not availableYear 1

$45,915Year 4

$46,800Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.2% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$3,826

Estimated loan payment$159

53borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$45,915 vs. $41,688

$4,227 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$99,410 median wageCA estimate · 9,820 jobs · 25-1121$74,960–$143,070 middle 50% of CA wages+2.2% projected U.S. growth · 8,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeArtists and Related Workers, All Other$60,540 median wageCA estimate · 740 jobs · 27-1019$36,580–$85,060 middle 50% of CA wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialPhotographers$47,840 median wageCA estimate · 7,980 jobs · 27-4021$38,410–$72,100 middle 50% of CA wages-0.7% projected U.S. growth · 10,700 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentArt Directors$137,780 median wageCA estimate · 12,430 jobs · 27-1011$106,470–$192,380 middle 50% of CA wages+4.2% projected U.S. growth · 12,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSpecial Effects Artists and Animators$130,540 median wageCA estimate · 7,410 jobs · 27-1014$99,280–$164,800 middle 50% of CA wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 4,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCraft Artists$100,540 median wageCA estimate · 170 jobs · 27-1012$62,500–$130,360 middle 50% of CA wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialGraphic Designers$75,130 median wageCA estimate · 27,390 jobs · 27-1024$55,500–$99,240 middle 50% of CA wages-1.7% projected U.S. growth · 16,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators$58,240 median wageCA estimate · 2,560 jobs · 27-1013$37,560–$154,540 middle 50% of CA wages-2.9% projected U.S. growth · 2,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree

Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

San Marcos, CA

California State University, San Marcos

$2,128 higher earnings · $2,241 lower annual net price

Earnings: $48,043
Debt: $18,750
Annual net price: $10,229

View outcomes →

Los Angeles, CA

Otis College of Art and Design

$1,305 higher earnings

Earnings: $47,220
Debt: $27,000
Annual net price: $51,248

View outcomes →

Orlando, FL

University of Central Florida

$7,007 higher earnings · $2,059 lower annual net price

Earnings: $52,922
Debt: $24,250
Annual net price: $10,411

View outcomes →

Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

$1,631 higher earnings · $5,929 lower annual net price

Earnings: $47,546
Debt: $17,983
Annual net price: $6,541

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

34 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →