Long-Term Prospects

Long-Term Prospects

Job Satisfaction

54%

General quality of life statement

So, life's not going to be perfect. Chances are, for the first couple of years, you're going to be working a few too many hours just to make ends meet. Or waiting tables or valeting cars just to pay the rent.

The truth is the starting salary for Performing Arts majors will barely cover the rent in most cities (even with a roomie). You might have to drive around that old 1999 Toyota Camry for a while before being able to afford an upgrade. And you're definitely not going to be able to buy that fancy mansion down the street anytime soon.

Yeah, yeah. We know you've heard it all before, but, like most humanities majors, there's a very high chance that you're going to end up making less money than if you had majored in something in the STEM fields. The thing is, if you end up liking your job (and the majority of Performing Arts majors do—54%), then you should be fine.

Not particularly well off, financially speaking (unless you get cast in a once-in-a-lifetime role), but not down-in-the-dumps, either. Just fine. Sorry, we don't sugarcoat the facts around here, but we do believe in coating food products in sugar, generally speaking. $40,000 a year can buy you a lot of sugar if you really want it to. Sugar is super cheap and basically the same thing as happiness, right? Right?

25th Percentile Salary

$26,000

Median Salary

$40,000

75th Percentile Salary

$60,000

Stats obtained from this source.