by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 70 U.S. colleges awarded 1,060 degrees and certificates in General Arts, Entertainment, & Media Management. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 63% of graduates. College Factual ranks 23 schools in its 2027 Best General Arts, Entertainment, & Media Management Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $30,868 one year after completing, rising to $51,953 after four years.
A degree in General Arts, Entertainment, & Media Management covers Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management, General. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Organize And Manage Various Aspects Of The Visual Arts, Performing Arts, And Entertainment Media Industries. Includes Instruction In Business And Financial Management, Marketing And Fund-Raising, Labor Relations For The Arts, Event Promotion And Management, Product And Artist Management, And Applicable Law. Examples: [Entertainment Business], [Performing Arts Administration].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., general arts, entertainment, & media management is a popular field of study, with 1,060 degrees awarded annually. 70 colleges award general arts, entertainment, & media management degrees, an average of 15 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 151.
By level, the 1,060 awards include 2 certificates, 26 associate degrees, 668 bachelor’s degrees, 360 master’s degrees and 3 doctorates.
Women earned 61% of general arts, entertainment, & media management degrees and certificates in the latest year (649 of 1,060). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (530) and Hispanic or Latino (175), and international students earned 78.
College Factual ranks 23 schools in its 2027 Best General Arts, Entertainment, & Media Management Schools ranking, including 16 for bachelor’s degrees and 10 for master’s degrees. It also ranks general arts, entertainment, & media management schools within 14 states. In all, 70 colleges offer general arts, entertainment, & media management programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value General Arts, Entertainment, & Media Management Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common general arts, entertainment, & media management credential is the bachelor’s degree: 668 of the 1,060 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to general arts, entertainment, & media management call most for Speaking, Reading Comprehension and Active Listening, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Administration and Management, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a general arts, entertainment, & media management degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 26 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 668 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 360 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 3 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to general arts, entertainment, & media management, at 38.7%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 38.7% |
| Master’s degree | 27.6% |
| Doctoral degree | 14.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 7.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.3% |
| Some college courses | 2.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.9% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
9 occupations are related to General Arts, Entertainment, & Media Management, with an average median salary of $110,222; the strongest outlook belongs to Compliance Managers, at 13.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Baton Teacher, Dance Instructor, Art Educator and Drama Professor.
The occupation related to general arts, entertainment, & media management with the most projected jobs is Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,074,154.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes | 241,360 | 10.8% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
| Wind Energy Development Managers | 107,541 | 10.1% |
General Arts, Entertainment, & Media Management graduates earn a median $30,868 one year after completing their program, $51,953 after four years and $46,688 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $30,868 |
| 4 years | $51,953 |
| 5 years | $46,688 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to general arts, entertainment, & media management is Wind Energy Development Managers, with a median salary of $169,952.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes | $96,762 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | $77,828 |
General Arts, Entertainment, & Media Management has 4 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 3,653 degrees a year; the largest are Music Management (1,955), Fine and Studio Arts Management (959) and Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, Other (518). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Music Management | 1,955 |
| Fine and Studio Arts Management | 959 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, Other | 518 |
| Theatre/Theatre Arts Management | 221 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
