MAJORS · 6 OF 115 SUBFIELDS BY ROI
Is a visual & performing arts degree worth it?
Part of Visual Arts and Music — see the whole category’s numbers.
On average, no — the mean lifetime ROI is −$130,558, by FREOPP’s own published number. The honest details matter.
MEAN LIFETIME ROI · FREOPP 2021 · COHORT-WEIGHTED
−$130,558
across 81 bachelor’s programs · 4,538 graduates
MEDIAN GRADUATE
−$115K
MIDDLE 50% LAND BETWEEN
−$294K ⟷ −$5K
NEVER BREAK EVEN
76.6%
MEDIAN PROGRAM-ESTIMATED BREAK-EVEN AGE
42
Among programs that break even; weighted by graduate cohorts. These are program estimates, not tracked individual graduate outcomes.
ADJUSTED FOR REAL COMPLETION RATES
−$133K
IF YOU DROP OUT
−$114K
Questions
- Is a visual & performing arts degree worth it?
- On average no — across 81 U.S. bachelor’s programs (FREOPP 2021, cohort-weighted), the mean lifetime ROI for Visual & Performing Arts is −$130,558 and the median is −$115,171. 76.6% of graduate cohort weight with reported break-even data is in programs flagged as never breaking even. The honest answer depends heavily on the specific program and school: the middle half of graduates land between −$293,777 and −$5,349.
- How long until a visual & performing arts degree pays off?
- For Visual & Performing Arts, Among programs that break even, the median program-estimated break-even age, weighted by graduate cohorts, is 42. 76.6% of graduate cohort weight with reported break-even data is in programs flagged as never breaking even. FREOPP 2021.
- Does the school matter for a visual & performing arts major?
- Enormously. The middle 50% of Visual & Performing Arts graduates span −$293,777 to −$5,349 — a +$288K spread within one major. The same field can be a strong trade at one school and a losing one at another, which is why the per-school number matters more than the field average.
↓ Download the data (CSV) · All 115 subfields with full statistics. Free to cite with attribution. · Methodology
Cite this:
LE TEEN (2026). “Visual & Performing Arts: lifetime ROI statistics.” Data: FREOPP 2021. https://le-teen.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts