Best Visual and Performing Arts, General Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
58
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$347,377
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$32,533
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
University of Florida-Online
Grad rate: 78.1% |
FL | +$391,758 | $66,209 | $17,036 | $17,983 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
University of Florida
Grad rate: 90.7% |
FL | +$373,026 | $66,209 | $21,719 | $17,983 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Grad rate: 49.6% |
WI | -$2,276 | $46,321 | $22,174 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Long Island University
Grad rate: 51.8% |
NY | -$53,316 | $49,818 | $52,419 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
George Mason University
Grad rate: 69.9% |
VA | -$148,075 | $41,720 | $26,972 | $25,620 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Grad rate: 67.4% |
AZ | -$166,951 | $40,789 | $28,047 | $22,625 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Kennesaw State University
Grad rate: 47.2% |
GA | -$187,092 | $37,569 | $24,618 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Worcester State University
Grad rate: 57.1% |
MA | -$202,244 | $36,205 | $21,586 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
University of Southern California
Grad rate: 92.2% |
CA | -$237,112 | $47,080 | $84,678 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
SUNY Oneonta
Grad rate: 72.3% |
NY | -$256,309 | $36,273 | $27,258 | $24,250 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
University of North Carolina Asheville
Grad rate: 56.8% |
NC | -$259,531 | $34,805 | $21,061 | $23,250 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Whitman College
Grad rate: 85.8% |
WA | -$273,568 | $43,330 | $75,042 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Mississippi State University
Grad rate: 63.0% |
MS | -$274,938 | $35,460 | $26,922 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
California State University-Channel Islands
Grad rate: 55.1% |
CA | -$274,996 | $33,058 | $24,039 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
The University of Texas at Dallas
Grad rate: 70.2% |
TX | -$279,714 | $35,087 | $28,210 | $21,196 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Fayetteville State University
Grad rate: 39.3% |
NC | -$296,912 | $30,374 | $16,098 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
California State University-San Marcos
Grad rate: 55.3% |
CA | -$298,668 | $32,561 | $21,144 | $18,750 | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Grad rate: 62.9% |
WI | -$310,099 | $31,881 | $18,661 | $24,500 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Grad rate: 52.1% |
NM | -$310,244 | $31,813 | $20,973 | $16,750 | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Rasmussen University-Minnesota
Grad rate: 50.9% |
MN | -$322,864 | $30,668 | $24,056 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
Rasmussen University-Wisconsin
Grad rate: 61.0% |
WI | -$323,560 | $30,668 | $24,230 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
Rasmussen University-Illinois
Grad rate: 40.0% |
IL | -$324,428 | $30,668 | $24,447 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Rasmussen University-North Dakota
Grad rate: 56.4% |
ND | -$325,340 | $30,668 | $24,675 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Rasmussen University-Florida
Grad rate: 47.6% |
FL | -$325,624 | $30,668 | $24,746 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
Rasmussen University-Kansas
Grad rate: 50.0% |
KS | -$326,272 | $30,668 | $24,908 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus
Grad rate: 57.3% |
NJ | -$329,444 | $35,086 | $47,791 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
University of Central Florida
Grad rate: 75.4% |
FL | -$330,353 | $31,683 | $22,819 | $24,250 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Wichita State University
Grad rate: 51.5% |
KS | -$342,279 | $30,756 | $21,064 | $24,551 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus
Grad rate: 67.6% |
NJ | -$349,640 | $35,086 | $52,840 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
The University of Texas at Austin
Grad rate: 87.7% |
TX | -$353,493 | $31,745 | $29,842 | $21,500 | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Longwood University
Grad rate: 63.9% |
VA | -$355,307 | $32,648 | $32,870 | $27,250 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
Azusa Pacific University
Grad rate: 62.8% |
CA | -$373,605 | $35,853 | $54,735 | $23,500 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Stetson University
Grad rate: 63.2% |
FL | -$374,818 | $39,043 | $69,807 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
Otis College of Art and Design
Grad rate: 61.1% |
CA | -$376,570 | $39,370 | $71,880 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
The University of Tennessee-Martin
Grad rate: 53.8% |
TN | -$376,775 | $29,014 | $21,628 | $22,625 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
University of California-San Diego
Grad rate: 87.7% |
CA | -$379,110 | $31,322 | $36,325 | $15,000 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Grand Canyon University
Grad rate: 44.0% |
AZ | -$394,309 | $30,405 | $31,493 | $26,991 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Salem State University
Grad rate: 55.2% |
MA | -$397,350 | $29,478 | $27,615 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
Southeast Missouri State University
Grad rate: 56.0% |
MO | -$397,420 | $28,602 | $23,337 | $26,750 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
State University of New York at New Paltz
Grad rate: 71.0% |
NY | -$399,943 | $28,849 | $27,034 | $21,324 | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
Jackson State University
Grad rate: 33.7% |
MS | -$415,574 | $29,036 | $28,611 | $31,000 | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
Southern Oregon University
Grad rate: 45.2% |
OR | -$447,535 | $26,467 | $25,950 | $24,500 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
Empire State University
Grad rate: 27.3% |
NY | -$459,704 | $22,659 | $18,221 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
Grad rate: 62.1% |
OH | -$462,562 | $26,542 | $29,238 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
Stockton University
Grad rate: 73.7% |
NJ | -$484,986 | $25,870 | $32,159 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
Oregon State University-Cascades Campus
Grad rate: 53.7% |
OR | -$493,024 | $22,841 | $27,461 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
University of Houston-Downtown
Grad rate: 32.3% |
TX | -$496,428 | $21,782 | $23,017 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico
Grad rate: 41.0% |
PR | -$500,968 | $18,607 | $8,277 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
Oregon State University
Grad rate: 70.3% |
OR | -$502,884 | $22,841 | $29,926 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
Champlain College
Grad rate: 63.8% |
VT | -$509,530 | $30,946 | $63,000 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Visual and Performing Arts, General Degrees by State
Browse Visual and Performing Arts, General programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.