Fine and Studio Arts
Offered at 1,736 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 77 | $37,994 | $46,994 | $8,233 |
| Associate | 343 | $25,771 | $35,197 | $12,000 |
| Bachelor's | 993 | $31,083 | $44,104 | $23,401 |
| Master's | 254 | $39,982 | $50,872 | — |
| Doctoral | 50 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 19 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $37,994, versus $31,083 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Colorado Boulder | CO | — | $71,441 | — |
| 2 | Gemological Institute of America-Carlsbad | CA | $37,994 | $46,994 | $8,233 |
| 3 | Gemological Institute of America-New York | NY | $37,994 | $46,994 | $8,233 |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | WI | $39,034 | — | — |
| 5 | Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts | PA | — | $35,818 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin Community College District | TX | $32,025 | $48,437 | $14,500 |
| 2 | Northern Essex Community College | MA | — | $48,124 | — |
| 3 | Cumberland University | TN | — | $46,934 | — |
| 4 | San Antonio College | TX | — | $42,673 | — |
| 5 | Raritan Valley Community College | NJ | — | $42,271 | — |
| 6 | College of the Desert | CA | — | $41,878 | — |
| 7 | Community College of Rhode Island | RI | $25,196 | $40,195 | — |
| 8 | Fashion Institute of Technology | NY | $27,462 | $39,480 | $11,625 |
| 9 | Bristol Community College | MA | $27,381 | $37,950 | $12,000 |
| 10 | Holyoke Community College | MA | — | $36,926 | — |
| 11 | Montgomery County Community College | PA | — | $36,723 | $13,000 |
| 12 | Connecticut State Community College | CT | $21,577 | $35,754 | — |
| 13 | CUNY LaGuardia Community College | NY | $26,322 | $35,716 | — |
| 14 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | NY | $19,109 | $35,475 | — |
| 15 | Nassau Community College | NY | $14,313 | $34,919 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brown University | RI | — | $80,760 | $17,420 |
| 2 | Binghamton University | NY | $37,995 | $72,959 | $17,500 |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | — | $72,638 | $18,250 |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $38,697 | $71,088 | $20,375 |
| 5 | Connecticut College | CT | $37,971 | $71,040 | — |
| 6 | Williams College | MA | $39,112 | $69,578 | — |
| 7 | University of Southern California | CA | $32,077 | $66,367 | $19,500 |
| 8 | University of Utah | UT | $34,583 | $65,383 | $17,000 |
| 9 | Marist University | NY | $31,771 | $64,951 | $19,500 |
| 10 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | VA | $42,499 | $64,675 | $22,000 |
| 11 | Loyola Marymount University | CA | — | $64,391 | $22,250 |
| 12 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | — | $63,984 | $21,116 |
| 13 | San Jose State University | CA | — | $63,473 | $15,000 |
| 14 | Fordham University | NY | $36,007 | $63,401 | $27,000 |
| 15 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | $32,554 | $62,269 | $14,000 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-Fullerton | CA | $39,035 | $66,313 | — |
| 2 | Sotheby's Institute of Art-NY | NY | — | $65,735 | — |
| 3 | Pratt Institute-Main | NY | — | $65,234 | — |
| 4 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | NE | $57,228 | $65,063 | — |
| 5 | New York University | NY | $51,662 | $64,841 | — |
| 6 | American University | DC | $37,814 | $61,036 | — |
| 7 | Azusa Pacific University | CA | $47,273 | $60,699 | — |
| 8 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | TN | — | $60,532 | — |
| 9 | Bard College | NY | $53,856 | $59,190 | — |
| 10 | Maryland Institute College of Art | MD | $42,741 | $59,142 | — |
| 11 | University of California-Davis | CA | $45,609 | $58,946 | — |
| 12 | Rhode Island School of Design | RI | $42,820 | $58,898 | — |
| 13 | Eastern Illinois University | IL | $55,988 | $58,441 | — |
| 14 | Ohio University-Main Campus | OH | — | $58,170 | — |
| 15 | Lesley University | MA | $57,111 | $58,033 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do fine and studio arts graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in fine and studio arts reports median earnings of $31,083. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
