Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management programs
CIP 5010 · Visual & Performing Arts · ranked by median earnings four years after completion
61 institutions report graduate earnings for Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management programs (College Scorecard, 2024-25). Across them the median is $51,954 four years after completion, with a typical debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52× and 75% of graduates earning above the federal earnings threshold. Indicatively, 17 of the 69 programs with both earnings and a benchmark fall below the earnings-premium benchmark used by the 2025 federal test (effective July 1, 2026); the rest clear it.
| # | Institution | Earn 4yr | % > threshold | Median debt | Debt/earn | Earnings premium | 2 of 3 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The New SchoolNY · Master's | $120,471 n=73 | 100% | $47,828 | 0.40× | Above +70% | Clears 2/2 |
| 2 | Syracuse UniversityNY · Master's | $95,311 n=17 | – | $40,096 | 0.42× | Above +34% | – |
| 3 | Pratt Institute-MainNY · Master's | $78,421 n=24 | 85% 5yr | $124,203 | 1.58× | Above +10% | Below 1/2 |
| 4 | Teachers College at Columbia UniversityNY · Master's | $78,032 n=17 | 90% 5yr | $92,774 | 1.19× | Above +10% | Below 1/2 |
| 5 | Indiana University-BloomingtonIN · Master's | $76,388 n=24 | 92% 5yr | $24,998 | 0.33× | Above +31% | Below 1/2 |
| 6 | The New SchoolNY · Bachelor's | $74,936 n=76 | 86% 5yr | $24,500 | 0.33× | Above +97% | Clears 2/2 |
| 7 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNY · Master's | $72,747 n=26 | 83% 1yr | $28,625 | 0.39× | Above +2% | – |
| 8 | Northwestern UniversityIL · Master's | $69,411 n=50 | 78% 1yr | $75,398 | 1.09× | Above +1% | – |
| 9 | George Mason UniversityVA · Master's | $66,400 n=29 | 92% 5yr | $42,750 | 0.64× | Below -7% | Below 2/2 |
| 10 | Wagner CollegeNY · Bachelor's | $65,373 n=35 | 76% 5yr | $27,000 | 0.41× | Above +72% | Clears 2/2 |
| 11 | American UniversityDC · Master's | $65,062 n=23 | 86% 5yr | $59,904 | 0.92× | Below -25% | Below 2/2 |
| 12 | Claremont Graduate UniversityCA · Master's | $64,890 n=26 | 75% 5yr | $111,162 | 1.71× | Below -14% | Below 2/2 |
| 13 | Boston UniversityMA · Master's | $64,819 n=18 | 91% 5yr | – | – | Below -14% | Below 2/2 |
| 14 | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsCO · Master's | $64,429 n=28 | 81% 1yr | $30,829 | 0.48× | Below -5% | – |
| 15 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA · Bachelor's | $63,353 n=48 | 56% | $20,353 | 0.32× | Above +65% | Clears 2/2 |
| 16 | Pace UniversityNY · Bachelor's | $62,064 n=89 | 32% | $25,167 | 0.41× | Above +63% | Clears 2/2 |
| 17 | Syracuse UniversityNY · Bachelor's | $61,819 n=44 | 56% 1yr | $27,000 | 0.44× | Above +63% | Clears 2/2 |
| 18 | Columbia College ChicagoIL · Master's | $60,136 n=19 | 67% 5yr | $70,642 | 1.18× | Below -12% | Below 2/2 |
| 19 | Indiana University-BloomingtonIN · Bachelor's | $60,046 n=38 | 81% 5yr | $21,908 | 0.36× | Above +60% | Clears 2/2 |
| 20 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityPA · Master's | $59,727 n=49 | 94% 5yr | $70,864 | 1.19× | Below -7% | Below 1/2 |
| 21 | Berklee College of MusicMA · Bachelor's | $59,703 n=27 | 100% | $25,543 | 0.43× | Above +37% | Clears 2/2 |
| 22 | University of Central FloridaFL · Bachelor's | $59,649 n=51 | 49% 1yr | $20,696 | 0.35× | Above +77% | – |
| 23 | University of New OrleansLA · Master's | $59,572 n=18 | 78% 5yr | $31,000 | 0.52× | Above +4% | Below 1/2 |
| 24 | Drexel UniversityPA · Master's | $59,030 n=40 | 72% 5yr | $36,850 | 0.62× | Below -8% | Below 2/2 |
| 25 | University of KentuckyKY · Master's | $58,074 n=31 | 83% 1yr | $32,765 | 0.56× | Above +2% | – |
| 26 | Seattle UniversityWA · Master's | $56,353 n=31 | 67% 5yr | $41,000 | 0.73× | Below -25% | Below 2/2 |
| 27 | University of MiamiFL · Master's | $56,106 n=20 | 80% 1yr | $58,302 | 1.04× | Above +1% | – |
| 28 | University of GeorgiaGA · UG cert | $55,628 n=20 | 83% 5yr | $19,000 | 0.34× | Above +58% | Clears 2/2 |
| 29 | Baldwin Wallace UniversityOH · Bachelor's | $55,117 n=24 | – | $26,682 | 0.48× | Above +50% | – |
| 30 | Drexel UniversityPA · Bachelor's | $54,328 n=101 | 51% | $24,808 | 0.46× | Above +44% | Clears 2/2 |
| 31 | Belmont UniversityTN · Bachelor's | $53,893 n=435 | 58% | $20,500 | 0.38× | Above +54% | Clears 2/2 |
| 32 | Fashion Institute of TechnologyNY · Bachelor's | $53,710 n=18 | – | $21,734 | 0.41× | Above +41% | – |
| 33 | College of CharlestonSC · Bachelor's | $52,674 n=74 | 61% | $21,500 | 0.41× | Above +53% | Clears 2/2 |
| 34 | SUNY College at PotsdamNY · Bachelor's | $52,583 n=17 | – | $27,000 | 0.51× | Above +38% | – |
| 35 | SUNY at Purchase CollegeNY · Bachelor's | $51,954 n=76 | 78% | $19,500 | 0.38× | Above +37% | Below 1/2 |
| 36 | Savannah College of Art and DesignGA · Master's | $51,406 n=35 | 76% 5yr | $48,856 | 0.95× | Below -19% | Below 2/2 |
| 37 | SUNY at FredoniaNY · Bachelor's | $50,671 n=47 | 67% 5yr | $23,625 | 0.47× | Above +33% | Below 1/2 |
| 38 | Columbia College ChicagoIL · Bachelor's | $50,592 n=216 | 56% | $25,000 | 0.49× | Above +34% | Below 1/2 |
| 39 | University of New HavenCT · Bachelor's | $50,112 n=40 | 84% 5yr | $27,000 | 0.54× | Above +19% | Clears 2/2 |
| 40 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointWI · Bachelor's | $49,413 n=17 | – | $25,250 | 0.51× | Above +27% | Below 1/2 |
| 41 | Trevecca Nazarene UniversityTN · Bachelor's | $49,184 n=16 | – | $20,000 | 0.41× | Above +41% | – |
| 42 | University of KentuckyKY · Bachelor's | $49,167 n=30 | 84% 5yr | $27,000 | 0.55× | Above +42% | Clears 2/2 |
| 43 | Ferris State UniversityMI · Bachelor's | $48,367 n=46 | 66% 5yr | $22,833 | 0.47× | Above +38% | Clears 2/2 |
| 44 | University of North AlabamaAL · Bachelor's | $48,020 n=43 | 54% | $24,437 | 0.51× | Above +39% | Clears 2/2 |
| 45 | Grand Canyon UniversityAZ · Bachelor's | $47,821 n=35 | 57% 1yr | $27,000 | 0.56× | Above +30% | – |
| 46 | SUNY OneontaNY · Bachelor's | $47,324 n=96 | 56% | $20,500 | 0.43× | Above +24% | Clears 2/2 |
| 47 | Austin Community College DistrictTX · Associate | $47,134 n=34 | 35% 1yr | $10,500 | 0.22× | Above +32% | Below 1/2 |
| 48 | Full Sail UniversityFL · Master's | $46,710 n=270 | 100% | $38,077 | 0.81× | Below -16% | Below 2/2 |
| 49 | Middle Tennessee State UniversityTN · Bachelor's | $46,349 n=271 | 45% | $21,500 | 0.46× | Above +33% | Below 1/2 |
| 50 | Dallas Baptist UniversityTX · Bachelor's | $45,369 n=31 | 57% 1yr | $22,781 | 0.50× | Above +27% | – |
| 51 | Howard UniversityDC · Bachelor's | $44,345 n=25 | 63% 5yr | $27,000 | 0.61× | Above +23% | Below 1/2 |
| 52 | Appalachian State UniversityNC · Bachelor's | $44,297 n=25 | 74% 5yr | $23,487 | 0.53× | Above +29% | Clears 2/2 |
| 53 | Anderson UniversityIN · Bachelor's | $43,159 n=16 | – | – | – | Above +15% | – |
| 54 | Massachusetts College of Liberal ArtsMA · Bachelor's | $42,983 n=18 | – | $25,000 | 0.58× | Below -1% | – |
| 55 | University of North Carolina at GreensboroNC · Bachelor's | $42,920 n=22 | – | $22,976 | 0.54× | Above +25% | – |
| 56 | Texas Wesleyan UniversityTX · Bachelor's | $42,479 n=18 | – | – | – | Above +19% | – |
| 57 | University of Wisconsin-Green BayWI · Bachelor's | $42,421 n=16 | – | – | – | Above +9% | – |
| 58 | Loyola University New OrleansLA · Bachelor's | $42,089 n=88 | 32% | $26,947 | 0.64× | Above +21% | Clears 2/2 |
| 59 | Elmhurst UniversityIL · Bachelor's | $41,122 n=16 | 73% 1yr | $25,376 | 0.62× | Above +9% | Clears 2/2 |
| 60 | University of Southern MississippiMS · Bachelor's | $41,095 n=53 | – | $24,990 | 0.61× | Above +25% | – |
| 61 | Full Sail UniversityFL · Bachelor's | $38,847 n=287 | 100% | $35,282 | 0.91× | Above +15% | Clears 2/2 |
| 62 | Los Angeles Film SchoolCA · Bachelor's | $37,857 n=162 | 59% | $37,875 | 1.00× | Below -2% | Below 2/2 |
| 63 | Florida Atlantic UniversityFL · Bachelor's | $37,374 n=24 | – | $24,806 | 0.66× | Above +11% | – |
| 64 | Delta State UniversityMS · Bachelor's | $36,216 n=17 | – | $24,251 | 0.67× | Above +10% | – |
| 65 | North Carolina State University at RaleighNC · Bachelor's | $35,867 n=25 | – | $17,625 | 0.49× | Above +5% | – |
| 66 | Dean CollegeMA · Bachelor's | $33,485 n=21 | – | $27,000 | 0.81× | Below -23% | – |
| 67 | College of Southern NevadaNV · UG cert | $32,898 n=21 | – | – | – | Below -13% | – |
| 68 | Full Sail UniversityFL · Associate | $30,931 n=46 | 43% 1yr | $22,674 | 0.73× | Below -8% | – |
| 69 | SAE Institute of Technology-NashvilleTN · Associate | $29,815 n=56 | 47% 5yr | $20,000 | 0.67× | Below -15% | Below 2/2 |
% > threshold is ED's own share of graduates earning above the federal earnings threshold, taken from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window. Earnings premium compares median earnings four years out to the U.S. Census ACS median for a high-school graduate (undergraduate credentials) or bachelor's-degree holder (graduate credentials) in the institution's state. 2 of 3 yrs flags programs below that benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 federal earnings-premium test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative estimates; the Department of Education's official determination may differ. Figures lag the current year by 2–3 years.
| State | Median earn 4yr | Programs |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $63,719 | 14 |
| California | $63,353 | 3 |
| Indiana | $60,046 | 3 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,030 | 3 |
| Illinois | $55,364 | 4 |
| Massachusetts | $51,343 | 4 |
| Tennessee | $47,767 | 4 |
| Texas | $45,369 | 3 |
| North Carolina | $42,920 | 3 |
| Florida | $42,779 | 6 |
States with at least 3 reporting Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management programs, by median graduate earnings.
Which colleges have the highest-paying Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management programs?
By median earnings four years after completion, the highest-paying Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management programs in this dataset are The New School ($120,471), Syracuse University ($95,311), Pratt Institute-Main ($78,421). Earnings reflect College Scorecard field-of-study data (2024-25) and vary by credential level and location.
Are Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management programs at risk under the federal earnings-premium test?
Indicatively, 17 of the 69 Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management programs with both earnings and a state/national benchmark have median graduate earnings below the earnings-premium benchmark used by the 2025 federal test (effective July 1, 2026), under which a program can lose Title IV eligibility if its graduates earn less than a typical worker without the credential for 2 of 3 years. This estimate uses College Scorecard earnings vs U.S. Census ACS medians; the Department of Education's official determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.
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Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study, 2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts plus the most-recent snapshot (2024-25); threshold pass-rates pooled across all nine releases. Earnings-premium benchmarks from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS). Compiled by Ibex Insights. See the methodology.