Fine Arts Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Practice and study of visual arts including painting, sculpture, and mixed media.
Starting Salary
$50K
median
Mid-Career
$52K
salary
ROI Payback
9 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
5.5%
rate
Fine Arts Overview
Practice and study of visual arts including painting, sculpture, and mixed media.
Category
Arts & Design
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
55%
Enrollment Trend
declining
Online Available
Limited
Underemployment
48%
Lifetime Premium
$100K
Female Graduates
65%
Fine Arts Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$18,900
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$18,900
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$81,100
Lifetime earnings premium ($100,000) minus net degree cost ($18,900)
Fine Arts Salary Progression
Common Fine Arts Careers
Artist
Art Teacher
Gallery Manager
Art Therapist
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Fine Arts
#1
RISD
#2
Yale
#3
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
#4
CalArts
#5
Parsons
Related Majors
Fine Arts Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Fine Arts Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for fine arts programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
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