Visual and Performing Arts, General: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 2 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$57,561 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$57,561Median year-4 earnings
$26,945Average institution net-price context
$22,894Median federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$57,561Median reported earnings · year 4
$58,504Average reported earnings · year 5
$22,894Median federal debt
64thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
2Reporting programs
1With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
CURRENT VIEW
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,561
- Federal debt
- $22,894
- Reporting programs
- 2
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $32,304
- Federal debt
- $10,500
- Reporting programs
- 14
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $41,156
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Reporting programs
- 81
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $70,439
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,318
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 4
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$57,561National median$57,56175th percentile$57,561
1 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee$57,5612Full Sail UniversityNot availableObserved year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1121 · 2 crosswalk linksArtists and Related Workers, All OtherSOC 27-1019 · 2 crosswalk linksPhotographersSOC 27-4021 · 2 crosswalk linksArt DirectorsSOC 27-1011 · 1 crosswalk linksCraft ArtistsSOC 27-1012 · 1 crosswalk linksFine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and IllustratorsSOC 27-1013 · 1 crosswalk linksGraphic DesignersSOC 27-1024 · 1 crosswalk linksSpecial Effects Artists and AnimatorsSOC 27-1014 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Milwaukee, WI | $57,561 | $25,787 | Baseline needed | $15,014 |
| 2 | Full Sail UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Winter Park, FL | Not available | $20,000 | Baseline needed | $38,875 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.