U.S. median for this major: $41,590.
College Scorecard field of study; 91 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 67% 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 $81,727. College Scorecard.
RISD 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 RISD'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 | $29,135 | $128,485 | more than 20 years |
| $30–48k | $30,233 | $133,328 | more than 20 years |
| $48–75k | $25,872 | $114,096 | more than 20 years |
| $75–110k | $33,893 | $149,468 | more than 20 years |
| $110k+ | $64,493 | $284,414 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (58% 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 ($40,568) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in RI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $688 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 Rhode Island colleges
Every Rhode Island 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 | Brown University | $60,985 | $17,300 | $25,184 | 96% |
| 2 | Salve Regina University | $48,067 | — | $36,967 | 77% |
| 3 | New England Institute of Technologymostly 2-year | $47,098 | $31,000 | $36,483 | 60% |
| 4 | University of Rhode Island | $44,272 | $16,625 | $21,440 | 73% |
| 5 | Rhode Island College | $41,883 | $23,500 | $9,478 | 48% |
| 6 | Rhode Island School of Design | $40,568 | $27,000 | $50,507 | 89% |
2 more Rhode Island 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 RISD, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About RISD
- Acceptance rate: 19% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 89% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $68,140
- Full cost breakdown · all 10 majors · overview
Related majors at RISD
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$67,771
- Film and Photography$51,278
RISD Studio Art questions
How much do RISD Studio Art graduates earn?
Studio Art graduates of Rhode Island School of Design earn a median $40,568 four years after graduating and $16,510 one year after. The U.S. median for Studio Art graduates across 420 colleges is $41,590.
How much debt do RISD Studio Art graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Studio Art graduates of Rhode Island School of Design is $27,000, about 67% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,361.
Is RISD a good school for Studio Art in Rhode Island?
On pay, Studio Art graduates of Rhode Island School of Design earn $40,568 four years out, $5,117 below the median for the same major across 6 Rhode Island colleges ($45,685) and $1,022 below the U.S. median ($41,590). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does RISD rank for Studio Art in Rhode Island?
Of 6 Rhode Island colleges reporting Studio Art graduate earnings, Rhode Island School of Design ranks 6th; among the 5 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 5th. The highest is Brown University at $60,985.
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 $92,110 in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 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: “Rhode Island School of Design Studio Art: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rhode-island-school-of-design/majors/studio-art (College Scorecard and BLS data).