Certificate (under 1 year)+15% vs national median243 grads tracked
Visual and Performing Arts at College Of DuPage
Ranked 9th of 43 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Visual and Performing Arts by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$31,340
middle 50%: $22,271 – $46,399
Median · 5 years out
$47,502
middle 50%: $34,351 – $66,338
Median · 10 years out
$64,930
middle 50%: $37,592 – $76,015
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Visual and Performing Arts (certificate (under 1 year)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Visual and Performing Arts certificate holders earn $31k in year one. Median pay rises to $48k at year five and $65k after ten years.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
8.8 yrs
≈ $10,750 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Georgia
$65,986 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$55,228 · 5 yrs out
Kennesaw State University
$54,051 · 5 yrs out
North Lake College
$51,929 · 5 yrs out
Red Rocks Community College
$50,676 · 5 yrs out
Arapahoe Community College
$48,144 · 5 yrs out
Naugatuck Valley Community College
$47,243 · 5 yrs out
Minneapolis Community and Technical College
$46,663 · 5 yrs out
Brookhaven College
$46,055 · 5 yrs out
Collin County Community College District
$44,276 · 5 yrs out
San Jacinto Community College District
$44,087 · 5 yrs out
Columbus State Community College
$43,360 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at College Of DuPage
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$105,399 · 5 yrs out
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$105,399 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Associate)
$96,190 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Certificate)
$90,582 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Associate)
$87,221 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, General (Associate)
$86,855 · 5 yrs out
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection (Associate)
$86,086 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Associate)
$81,833 · 5 yrs out
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications (Certificate)
$81,462 · 5 yrs out
Geography and Cartography (Certificate)
$80,415 · 5 yrs out
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) (Associate)
$80,258 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Certificate)
$79,787 · 5 yrs out