Bachelor's+27% vs national median2,002 grads tracked
Visual and Performing Arts at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Ranked 8th of 376 bachelor's programs in Visual and Performing Arts by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$41,631
middle 50%: $27,310 – $56,640
Median · 5 years out
$61,991
middle 50%: $44,330 – $80,063
Median · 10 years out
$75,690
middle 50%: $54,798 – $105,181
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Visual and Performing Arts (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Virginia Tech arts graduates see median first-year salaries of $42k. Earnings reach $76k by the tenth year.
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
6.8 yrs
≈ $7,953 total interest
Same major at other universities
Fashion Institute of Technology
$69,411 · 5 yrs out
Quinnipiac University
$67,332 · 5 yrs out
Bluefield College
$64,402 · 5 yrs out
Connecticut College
$63,522 · 5 yrs out
University of Cincinnati
$63,130 · 5 yrs out
Sacred Heart University
$62,343 · 5 yrs out
Washington and Lee University
$61,749 · 5 yrs out
University of Virginia
$59,219 · 5 yrs out
Marymount University
$58,956 · 5 yrs out
Clemson University
$58,937 · 5 yrs out
University of Houston
$58,899 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Farmingdale
$58,701 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$160,426 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$155,674 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$148,193 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$132,072 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$130,533 · 5 yrs out
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's)
$129,123 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$125,251 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$125,251 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$121,443 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$119,838 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$116,512 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$109,749 · 5 yrs out