Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 50.10. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 508 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 65 | 349 | $35,863 | $33,974 | $10,500 3 programs |
| Associate's degree | 50 | 204 | $22,988 | $35,370 | $29,667 3 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 251 | 2,780 | $37,052 | $48,240 | $23,945 42 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 107 | 1,005 | $51,789 | $59,685 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 2 | 9 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 30 | 83 | $88,103 | $82,175 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Georgia GA · Public · 55 graduates measured | $47,252 | $55,628 | $15,500 |
| College of Southern Nevada NV · Public · 23 graduates measured | $30,566 | $32,898 | Data unavailable |
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 32 graduates measured | $28,493 | Data unavailable | $10,062 |
| SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville TN · Private, for-profit · 16 graduates measured | $22,227 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 36 graduates measured | $31,848 | $30,931 | $32,640 |
| Austin Community College District TX · Public · 30 graduates measured | $25,049 | $47,134 | $12,205 |
| American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York NY · Private, nonprofit · 33 graduates measured | $15,730 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champlain College VT · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $56,969 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| The New School NY · Private, nonprofit · 82 graduates measured | $49,196 | $74,936 | $20,500 |
| Syracuse University NY · Private, nonprofit · 45 graduates measured | $49,151 | $61,819 | $27,000 |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 39 graduates measured | $47,675 | $63,353 | $21,087 |
| Elon University NC · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $45,706 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Indiana University-Bloomington IN · Public · 38 graduates measured | $42,282 | $60,046 | $20,500 |
| Pace University NY · Private, nonprofit · 110 graduates measured | $42,213 | $62,064 | $23,125 |
| SUNY College at Potsdam NY · Public · 20 graduates measured | $41,869 | $52,583 | $26,536 |
| Wagner College NY · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $41,503 | $65,373 | $25,000 |
| Berklee College of Music MA · Private, nonprofit · 108 graduates measured | $41,238 | $59,703 | $24,259 |
| Trevecca Nazarene University TN · Private, nonprofit · 25 graduates measured | $41,152 | $49,184 | Data unavailable |
| Bradley University IL · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $40,566 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Miami University-Hamilton OH · Public · 28 graduates measured | $40,376 | Data unavailable | $23,945 |
| Miami University-Middletown OH · Public · 28 graduates measured | $40,376 | Data unavailable | $23,945 |
| Miami University-Oxford OH · Public · 28 graduates measured | $40,376 | Data unavailable | $23,945 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claremont Graduate University CA · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $69,118 | $64,890 | Data unavailable |
| Savannah College of Art and Design GA · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $66,438 | $51,406 | Data unavailable |
| University of Miami FL · Private, nonprofit · 46 graduates measured | $64,869 | $56,106 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College NY · Public · 32 graduates measured | $62,391 | $72,747 | Data unavailable |
| Sotheby's Institute of Art-NY NY · Private, for-profit · 17 graduates measured | $58,936 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Northwestern University IL · Private, nonprofit · 71 graduates measured | $58,285 | $69,411 | Data unavailable |
| Boston University MA · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $57,775 | $64,819 | Data unavailable |
| Berklee College of Music MA · Private, nonprofit · 60 graduates measured | $57,202 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| George Mason University VA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $57,142 | $66,400 | Data unavailable |
| University of Kentucky KY · Public · 35 graduates measured | $55,695 | $58,074 | Data unavailable |
| Le Moyne College NY · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $55,535 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Pratt Institute-Main NY · Private, nonprofit · 26 graduates measured | $55,480 | $78,421 | Data unavailable |
| Carnegie Mellon University PA · Private, nonprofit · 54 graduates measured | $53,641 | $59,727 | Data unavailable |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins CO · Public · 36 graduates measured | $52,996 | $64,429 | Data unavailable |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $52,591 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Graduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $107,746 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | $141,900 | +4.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes | $82,890 | +9.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary | $78,620 | +2.2% | Master's degree |
| Producers and directors | $90,360 | +4.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Music directors and composers | $73,710 | +1.2% | Bachelor's degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (5)
- 50.1001 Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, General
- 50.1002 Fine and Studio Arts Management
- 50.1003 Music Management
- 50.1004 Theatre/Theatre Arts Management
- 50.1099 Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, Other