GeraLearn / Degree salary comparison
Creative arts and design vs Performing arts: Graduate Salary Compared
Five years after graduating, UK Creative arts and design graduates earn more — a median £25,600 vs £24,500 for Performing arts. That is £1,100 more (4%). Real DfE LEO figures, 2022-23 tax year.
Quick answer
Creative arts and design pays more than Performing arts: a 5-year median of £25,600 versus £24,500 — a £1,100 (4%) gap. Source: DfE LEO, 2022-23 UK tax year (DfE LEO graduate outcomes).
Earnings compared, side by side
Median gross annual earnings of UK-domiciled first-degree graduates, 2022-23 tax year.
| Measure | Creative arts and design | Performing arts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year after graduation | £20,400 | £18,200 |
| Lower quartile (5yr) | £19,300 | £17,900 |
| Median (5yr) | £25,600 | £24,500 |
| Upper quartile (5yr) | £32,500 | £30,700 |
| Rank (of 34 subjects) | #33 | #34 |
| Graduates in cohort | 21,055 | 12,480 |
Ranks are by 5-year median earnings across all 34 DfE CAH level-1 subject groups.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Creative arts and design or Performing arts pay more after graduation?
- Creative arts and design pays more. Five years after graduation, UK graduates of Creative arts and design earn a median £25,600 versus £24,500 for Performing arts — a difference of £1,100 (4% more). Source: DfE LEO, 2022-23 tax year.
- What do Creative arts and design graduates earn one and five years after graduating?
- Creative arts and design graduates earn a median £20,400 one year after graduation and a median £25,600 five years after — with most earning between £19,300 and £32,500 (lower–upper quartile). That is £5,800 (18%) below the all-subject median of £31,400.
- What do Performing arts graduates earn one and five years after graduating?
- Performing arts graduates earn a median £18,200 one year after graduation and a median £24,500 five years after — with most earning between £17,900 and £30,700 (lower–upper quartile). That is £6,900 (22%) below the all-subject median of £31,400.
- Where do these graduate-salary figures come from?
- From the Department for Education's LEO (Longitudinal Education Outcomes) release, 2022-23 UK tax year (DfE LEO graduate outcomes). They are median gross annual earnings of UK-domiciled first-degree graduates in sustained employment, measured in the 2022-23 tax year, published under the Open Government Licence. These are medians — half of graduates earned less and half more; subject choice does not guarantee any individual salary.
Data: DfE LEO Graduate Outcomes, 2022-23 UK tax year (DfE LEO graduate outcomes). Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are medians for graduates in sustained employment and do not guarantee individual earnings. A Gera Systems product.