Northern Michigan University Studio Art: earnings, debt & careers

Studio Art graduates of Northern Michigan University earn a median $36,228 four years after graduating ($23,786 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $27,000. That is $5,362 below the U.S. median for Studio Art graduates ($41,590 across 420 colleges), and ranks 12th of 12 Michigan colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$36,228

U.S. median for this major: $41,590.

College Scorecard field of study; 112 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$23,786

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$27,000

About 75% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,361.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$14,085 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $27,841. College Scorecard.

Northern Michigan University Studio Art: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Northern Michigan University graduates$36,228
Michigan median (12 colleges)$40,703 (−$4,475)
U.S. median (420 colleges)$41,590 (−$5,362)

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 Northern Michigan University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$7,697$34,32912.2 years
$30–48k$7,185$32,04511.4 years
$48–75k$11,051$49,28717.5 years
$75–110k$16,324$72,805more than 20 years
$110k+$22,268$99,315more than 20 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (33% 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 ($36,228) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $2,817 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 Michigan colleges

Every Michigan college we cover that reports Studio Art graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of Michigan-Ann Arbor$66,846$19,319$13,13893%
2Michigan State University$50,098$30,875$19,68081%
3Oakland University$44,270—$9,12058%
4Spring Arbor University$43,021—$19,35364%
5Saginaw Valley State University$42,270—$10,77548%
6Eastern Michigan University$41,225$27,250$15,40746%
7Central Michigan University$40,181$31,000$17,59759%
8Grand Valley State University$39,307$27,000$16,31767%
9Wayne State University$39,271$31,000$12,76658%
10Ferris State University$39,165$27,000$8,62447%
11Western Michigan University$36,615$28,495$15,27358%
12Northern Michigan University$36,228$27,000$14,08552%

16 more Michigan 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

Michigan$66,030
U.S.$72,040

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Art Directors

Michigan$86,660
U.S.$114,850

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Museum Technicians and Conservators

Michigan$39,000
U.S.$51,440

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 Northern Michigan University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Northern Michigan University

Related majors at Northern Michigan University

  • Music—
  • Theatre—
  • Film and Photography—

Northern Michigan University Studio Art questions

How much do Northern Michigan University Studio Art graduates earn?

Studio Art graduates of Northern Michigan University earn a median $36,228 four years after graduating and $23,786 one year after. The U.S. median for Studio Art graduates across 420 colleges is $41,590.

How much debt do Northern Michigan University Studio Art graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Studio Art graduates of Northern Michigan University is $27,000, about 75% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,361.

Is Northern Michigan University a good school for Studio Art in Michigan?

On pay, Studio Art graduates of Northern Michigan University earn $36,228 four years out, $4,475 below the median for the same major across 12 Michigan colleges ($40,703) and $5,362 below the U.S. median ($41,590). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Northern Michigan University rank for Studio Art in Michigan?

Of 12 Michigan colleges reporting Studio Art graduate earnings, Northern Michigan University ranks 12th. The highest is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor at $66,846.

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 $66,030 in Michigan 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
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Cite this: “Northern Michigan University Studio Art: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-michigan-university/majors/studio-art (College Scorecard and BLS data).