Visual and Performing Arts, General at Lesley University
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
31
Optimistic
29
Base Case
26
Pessimistic
Earnings
$20,600/yr (-19% vs median)
AI Risk
High (38% exposed)
Job Market
Large (63,400 openings/yr)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Visual and Performing Arts, General graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $236K | $201K | $165K |
| Earnings Multiple | 1.8x | 1.5x | 1.3x |
| Viable Career Paths | 8 of 8 | 8 of 8 | 8 of 8 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 31 | 29 | 26 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition
$131,120
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,625
11.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Career Paths
Where Visual and Performing Arts, General graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 63,400 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art directors | $111,040 | 12,300 | +4.2% | 50% |
| Special effects artists and animators | $99,800 | 5,000 | +1.6% | 52% |
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary | $80,190 | 9,000 | +1.7% | 44% |
| Artists and related workers, all other | $72,760 | 1,200 | +0.8% | 0% |
| Graphic designers | $61,300 | 20,000 | +2.1% | 50% |
| Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators | $60,560 | 2,200 | -1.2% | 43% |
| Photographers | $42,520 | 12,700 | +1.8% | 39% |
| Craft artists | $38,480 | 1,000 | +2.1% | 26% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Visual and Performing Arts, General at Lesley University?
This program scores 29/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 31 (optimistic) to 26 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Visual and Performing Arts, General career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Visual and Performing Arts, General graduates retain 8 of 8 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $165,011 (pessimistic) to $236,154 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Visual and Performing Arts, General graduates?
The career paths mapped to Visual and Performing Arts, General have roughly 63,400 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a large job market.
Is Visual and Performing Arts, General at Lesley University worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 1.5x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 1.3x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2025.