---
title: Is a Fine and Studio Arts degree worth the debt?
cip: 5007
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard — Field of Study (2026-06-10 release)
sourceId: src:doe:college-scorecard:field-of-study:2026-06-10
---

# Is a Fine and Studio Arts degree worth the debt?

Leading with the **Bachelor's**, across **426** colleges (426 of 426 programs report earnings):

- **Median pay, 1 year after completion:** $24,388 ($25,194 at 2 years)
- **Median federal debt:** $23,676 (federal loans only)
- **Debt-to-earnings:** 0.94× a first year's pay
- **Across-college spread (middle 50%):** $21,197–$27,405 — the program you choose moves the number this much.


**How to read this:** these are MEDIANS across college programs, measured **1–2 years after completion** (early career, graduates only) — NOT lifetime earnings, and NOT comparable to a college's 10-years-after-entry figure. They cover **federally-aided completers at programs large enough to report**; small programs are suppressed. A field median is not a prediction of your outcome, not causal (who enters a field differs by field), and **not a "best majors" ranking** — earnings are one dimension of worth. Verify by field at the official College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/).

## By degree level

| Level | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt | Debt/pay | Colleges | Programs reporting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Associate's | $19,172 | $11,500 | 0.61× | 8 | 8/8 |
| Bachelor's | $24,388 | $23,676 | 0.94× | 426 | 426/426 |
| Master's | $29,318 | $46,536 | 1.65× | 60 | 60/60 |

## Where a Bachelor's in this field reports the highest early-career pay

Reflects who enrolls and where, not causal program quality.

| College | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sacred Heart University (CT) | $42,516 | — |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (CA) | $39,354 | $17,886 |
| University of Utah (UT) | $38,615 | $22,500 |
| Southern Methodist University (TX) | $37,698 | — |
| Columbia University in the City of New York (NY) | $36,885 | $27,000 |
| Winona State University (MN) | $35,922 | — |
| Moravian University (PA) | $35,742 | $27,000 |
| Dartmouth College (NH) | $35,235 | $13,663 |
| University of Maryland-College Park (MD) | $35,028 | $19,417 |
| Lesley University (MA) | $34,966 | $23,968 |
| University of Missouri-Columbia (MO) | $34,933 | $19,500 |
| Bridgewater State University (MA) | $34,835 | $24,681 |
| Platt College-San Diego | $34,252 | $31,000 |
| Abilene Christian University (TX) | $34,192 | — |
| Gordon College (MA) | $34,082 | — |

RECORDED College Scorecard figures + one DERIVED ratio (debt-to-earnings). Informs and compares; not advice on what to major in. Each college's full record: `/education/<slug>`.

Structured data: `/education/fields/fine-and-studio-arts.jsonld` · `/education/fields/fine-and-studio-arts.json`