Fine and Studio Arts

What graduates really earn, where the degree pays off most, and whether the numbers add up for you.

Avg Earnings (4yr)

$30,897

Median Earnings

$44,411

Schools Offering

745

ROI Grade

Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)

25th: $39,194Median: $44,41175th: $52,929

Best Schools for Fine and Studio Arts by Earnings

#	School	ROI	4yr Earnings	Net Price	Major Debt	Grade
1	Carnegie Mellon University PA · Private	97	$138,588	$31,944	$24,500	B
2	Lawrence Technological University MI · Private	65	$99,444	$32,918	N/A	-
3	Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus GA · Public	97	$95,697	$12,116	$26,354	C+
4	University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA · Public	94	$89,193	$14,091	$12,250	A
5	University of Southern California CA · Private	91	$89,022	$32,740	$18,262	B+
6	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NY · Private	93	$87,358	$36,228	$25,000	C
7	Northeastern University MA · Private	91	$87,336	$30,915	$28,250	C
8	University of Notre Dame IN · Private	97	$83,414	$26,780	$20,250	B
9	Chapman University CA · Private	64	$78,121	$46,555	$23,000	C+
10	Art Center College of Design CA · Private	56	$76,093	$48,661	$31,050	C
11	University of Redlands CA · Private	71	$75,374	$30,031	N/A	-
12	Florida State University FL · Public	83	$73,888	$11,297	$22,250	C+
13	Boston University MA · Private	90	$72,809	$24,402	$21,250	B
14	University of Southern California CA · Private	91	$72,428	$32,740	$21,125	B
15	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA · Public	89	$72,213	$24,953	$25,802	C
16	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH · Public	55	$71,605	$25,648	$25,851	C+
17	Syracuse University NY · Private	76	$71,527	$38,793	$27,000	C
18	The University of Texas at Austin TX · Public	90	$69,846	$19,857	$22,500	C+
19	Western Washington University WA · Public	72	$69,715	$21,193	$20,000	C
20	University of Denver CO · Private	71	$69,251	$36,131	N/A	-
21	Washington State University WA · Public	84	$69,224	$14,971	$22,802	C+
22	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville TN · Public	73	$69,047	$18,976	N/A	-
23	Laguna College of Art and Design CA · Private	22	$68,934	$42,505	$27,000	D
24	Seattle Pacific University WA · Private	68	$68,547	$24,488	$26,000	C
25	Dartmouth College NH · Private	95	$68,523	$29,519	$13,663	C+
26	Texas Christian University TX · Private	71	$68,313	$36,660	N/A	-
27	Wentworth Institute of Technology MA · Private	82	$68,160	$34,170	$27,000	C+
28	Ohio State University-Main Campus OH · Public	77	$68,151	$17,339	$25,100	C
29	Miami University-Oxford OH · Public	54	$67,981	$28,384	$26,000	C
30	Washington University in St Louis MO · Private	96	$67,771	$21,786	$19,089	C
31	Rhode Island School of Design RI · Private	57	$67,771	$50,507	$27,000	D
32	University of Delaware DE · Public	86	$67,742	$17,799	$26,000	C
33	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI · Public	95	$66,846	$13,138	$19,319	C
34	University of Dayton OH · Private	83	$66,679	$29,533	N/A	-
35	New Jersey Institute of Technology NJ · Public	92	$66,488	$16,504	$27,000	C
36	California State University-Long Beach CA · Public	86	$66,435	$10,440	$17,215	C+
37	University of California-Santa Cruz CA · Public	85	$66,333	$17,890	N/A	-
38	Drexel University PA · Private	82	$66,294	$38,509	$27,000	D
39	University of California-Los Angeles CA · Public	96	$66,259	$12,548	$20,000	B+
40	Clemson University SC · Public	86	$66,150	$22,253	$26,000	C
41	Marist University NY · Private	74	$66,010	$41,544	$26,929	D
42	Colorado State University-Fort Collins CO · Public	69	$65,940	$21,279	N/A	-
43	University of Wisconsin-Madison WI · Public	91	$65,874	$17,354	$20,875	B
44	University of Arkansas AR · Public	69	$65,780	$18,209	$23,881	C
45	University of Florida FL · Public	92	$65,656	$6,541	$19,839	C+
46	University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus OK · Public	83	$65,646	$15,300	$27,000	D
47	University of Oregon OR · Public	68	$65,573	$22,182	$29,050	F
48	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public	93	$65,186	$14,355	$18,839	C+
49	University of Houston TX · Public	80	$64,612	$14,276	$27,000	C
50	Endicott College MA · Private	52	$64,559	$40,654	$27,000	C

Poor Value

Is Fine and Studio Arts Worth It?

Passion Play - Manage the Cost

The money on Fine and Studio Arts is genuinely tough. An average $30,897 four years out is hard to square with a big tuition bill. If this is your passion, go for it - but keep debt as low as you can: in-state public, scholarships, anything that pulls the net cost down.

With 745 schools offering it, you've got room to be choosy - shop for the best ROI in the field instead of settling for wherever takes you.

The top earner here is Lawrence Technological University, where graduates pull $99,444 four years out. But an average hides a wide spread - where you go, and what you do with the degree, matter as much as the major itself.

Best ROI Schools for Fine and Studio Arts All Majors ROI Calculator Compare Schools

Related Majors

Architecture Communications

Earnings data represents median earnings 4 years after graduation for graduates of bachelor's programs, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Individual outcomes vary significantly based on career path, location, and other factors.