U.S. median for this major: $41,590.
College Scorecard field of study; 19 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 55% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,361.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $86,285. College Scorecard.
BU Studio Art: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Studio Art nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses BU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,500 | $38,855 | 4.0 years |
| $30–48k | $9,342 | $38,209 | 4.0 years |
| $48–75k | $11,778 | $48,172 | 5.0 years |
| $75–110k | $22,517 | $92,095 | 9.5 years |
| $110k+ | $47,504 | $194,291 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (83% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Studio Art graduates 4 years after graduating ($49,538) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $9,658 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Studio Art at Massachusetts colleges
Every Massachusetts college we cover that reports Studio Art graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williams College | $55,012 | $11,850 | $17,716 | 94% |
| 2 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | $52,637 | $27,000 | $17,163 | 65% |
| 3 | Salem State University | $50,397 | $27,000 | $15,996 | 50% |
| 4 | University of Massachusetts-Boston | $49,722 | $27,000 | $17,707 | 49% |
| 5 | Boston University | $49,538 | $27,000 | $24,402 | 89% |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | $46,027 | $27,000 | $22,383 | 83% |
| 7 | Bridgewater State University | $45,747 | $27,000 | $16,383 | 53% |
| 8 | Framingham State University | $43,582 | $27,000 | $16,114 | 48% |
| 9 | Smith College | $43,354 | $19,000 | $27,579 | 89% |
| 10 | Westfield State University | $43,248 | $27,000 | $16,721 | 54% |
| 11 | Tufts University | $41,365 | $25,250 | $39,998 | 94% |
| 12 | Lesley University | $41,320 | $24,833 | $31,152 | 58% |
| 13 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | $40,999 | $26,000 | $24,100 | 69% |
| 14 | Clark University | $38,844 | $26,870 | $28,714 | 77% |
| 15 | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | $38,389 | — | $29,822 | 73% |
| 16 | Montserrat College of Art | $37,179 | $27,000 | $33,216 | 53% |
| 17 | Mount Holyoke College | $36,483 | $23,447 | $26,441 | 84% |
| 18 | Bard College at Simon's Rockbachelor's & associate | $34,667 | $27,000 | $31,625 | 68% |
| 19 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | $32,222 | $27,000 | $20,927 | 52% |
22 more Massachusetts colleges offer Studio Art but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Studio Art graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Art Directors
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Museum Technicians and Conservators
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at BU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About BU
- Acceptance rate: 11% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 89% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $83,238
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at BU
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$72,809
- Music$39,426
- Theatre$39,322
- Visual and Performing Arts—
- Film and Photography—
BU Studio Art questions
How much do BU Studio Art graduates earn?
Studio Art graduates of Boston University earn a median $49,538 four years after graduating and $17,374 one year after. The U.S. median for Studio Art graduates across 420 colleges is $41,590.
How much debt do BU Studio Art graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Studio Art graduates of Boston University is $27,000, about 55% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,361.
Is BU a good school for Studio Art in Massachusetts?
On pay, Studio Art graduates of Boston University earn $49,538 four years out, $6,290 above the median for the same major across 19 Massachusetts colleges ($43,248) and $7,948 above the U.S. median ($41,590). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does BU rank for Studio Art in Massachusetts?
Of 19 Massachusetts colleges reporting Studio Art graduate earnings, Boston University ranks 5th. The highest is Williams College at $55,012.
What jobs do Studio Art graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $98,850 in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area and $72,040 nationally. Others include art directors and museum technicians and conservators.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Boston University Studio Art: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/boston-university/majors/studio-art (College Scorecard and BLS data).