ASSOCIATE + BACHELOR’S · ILLUSTRATIVE ECONOMIC ROIBest ROI majors
Compare degree fields using reported earnings, college-wide average net price, expected study time and earnings forgone while enrolled.
Arts, Media & Humanities34 qualifying field-and-credential categories
1Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,305/yr−37%2Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, OtherBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,988/yr−48%3PhilosophyBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,817/yr−54%4Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,451/yr−58%5JournalismBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,026/yr−64%6Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,130/yr−65%7Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,249/yr−70%8East Asian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,844/yr−72%9Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $22,208/yr−73%10Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,217/yr−78%11HistoryBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,782/yr−78%12Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,043/yr−83%13English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,817/yr−85%14Visual and Performing Arts, OtherBachelor's Degree · institution price context $23,655/yr−89%15Arts, Entertainment, and Media ManagementBachelor's Degree · institution price context $24,618/yr−89%16Religion/Religious StudiesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,115/yr−89%17Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,627/yr−92%18American Sign LanguageBachelor's Degree · institution price context $17,788/yr−98%19Film/Video and Photographic ArtsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $24,624/yr−103%20MusicBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,576/yr−106%21Communication and Media StudiesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,402/yr−108%22Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree · institution price context $19,228/yr−115%23Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,202/yr−115%24DanceBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,619/yr−117%25Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's Degree · institution price context $20,218/yr−119%26Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree · institution price context $9,993/yr−120%27English Language and Literature/Letters, OtherBachelor's Degree · institution price context $18,768/yr−122%28Design and Applied ArtsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $12,539/yr−169%29MusicAssociate's Degree · institution price context $18,031/yr−170%30Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationAssociate's Degree · institution price context $7,930/yr−175%31Fine and Studio ArtsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $8,682/yr−196%32English Language and Literature, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $6,728/yr−198%33Film/Video and Photographic ArtsAssociate's Degree · institution price context $17,919/yr−202%34Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralAssociate's Degree · institution price context $10,810/yr−214%The ROI scenario compares reported earnings with a $45,000 annual earnings baseline and includes study-time opportunity cost. Annual cost is the average college-wide net price among institutions reporting the field, not program tuition. Certificate and graduate credentials are excluded because that proxy is not reliable enough for those programs.