Associate+18% vs national median470 grads tracked
Visual and Performing Arts at Portland Community College
Ranked 15th of 189 associate programs in Visual and Performing Arts by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$35,263
middle 50%: $25,141 – $48,931
Median · 5 years out
$47,718
middle 50%: $36,122 – $61,371
Median · 10 years out
$57,208
middle 50%: $40,956 – $77,215
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Visual and Performing Arts (associate) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Portland Community College associates in Visual and Performing Arts earn $35k in their first year. Median pay reaches $48k after five 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
≈ $10,280 total interest
Same major at other universities
William Rainey Harper College
$50,227 · 5 yrs out
Montana State University Bozeman
$49,855 · 5 yrs out
Norwalk Community College
$49,513 · 5 yrs out
Dakota County Technical College
$48,822 · 5 yrs out
Triton College
$48,658 · 5 yrs out
Community College of Denver
$48,487 · 5 yrs out
Odessa College
$47,705 · 5 yrs out
Northern Virginia Community College
$47,574 · 5 yrs out
Salt Lake Community College
$47,119 · 5 yrs out
Lamar State College - Port Arthur
$47,119 · 5 yrs out
Hennepin Technical College
$46,924 · 5 yrs out
Lone Star College System
$46,845 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Portland Community College
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Certificate)
$101,061 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Certificate)
$99,460 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Associate)
$97,859 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$93,265 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$87,244 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Associate)
$85,856 · 5 yrs out
Transportation and Materials Moving (Associate)
$85,137 · 5 yrs out
Air Transportation (Associate)
$85,137 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$84,610 · 5 yrs out
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$84,509 · 5 yrs out
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$84,284 · 5 yrs out
Computer Programming (Certificate)
$79,996 · 5 yrs out