Shepherd University Studio Art: earnings, debt & careers

Studio Art graduates of Shepherd University earn a median $50,124 four years after graduating ($33,059 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $21,500. That is $8,534 above the U.S. median for Studio Art graduates ($41,590 across 420 colleges), and ranks 1st of 4 West Virginia colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$50,124

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

College Scorecard field of study; 33 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$33,059

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$21,500

About 43% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,361.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$11,363 /yr

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

Sticker price $19,601. College Scorecard.

Shepherd University Studio Art: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Shepherd University graduates$50,124
West Virginia median (4 colleges)$38,452 (+$11,672)
U.S. median (420 colleges)$41,590 (+$8,534)

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 Shepherd 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$7,906$34,8652.0 years
$30–48k$7,753$34,1912.0 years
$48–75k$10,107$44,5722.6 years
$75–110k$14,000$61,7403.5 years
$110k+$15,866$69,9694.0 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 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 ($50,124) minus $32,695 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WV (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,429 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 West Virginia colleges

Every West Virginia 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
1Shepherd University$50,124$21,500$11,36351%
2West Virginia University$44,180$24,121$15,63465%
3Marshall University$32,723$25,293$7,50251%
4West Virginia State University$22,764—$11,13939%

6 more West Virginia 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

Washington area$80,300
West Virginia$56,610
U.S.$72,040

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

Art Directors

Washington area$105,990
West Virginia$63,550
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

Washington area$79,230
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 Shepherd University, by income

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

College Scorecard

About Shepherd University

Related majors at Shepherd University

  • Music—
  • Theatre—

Shepherd University Studio Art questions

How much do Shepherd University Studio Art graduates earn?

Studio Art graduates of Shepherd University earn a median $50,124 four years after graduating and $33,059 one year after. The U.S. median for Studio Art graduates across 420 colleges is $41,590.

How much debt do Shepherd University Studio Art graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Studio Art graduates of Shepherd University is $21,500, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,361.

Is Shepherd University a good school for Studio Art in West Virginia?

On pay, Studio Art graduates of Shepherd University earn $50,124 four years out, $11,672 above the median for the same major across 4 West Virginia colleges ($38,452) and $8,534 above the U.S. median ($41,590). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Shepherd University rank for Studio Art in West Virginia?

Of 4 West Virginia colleges reporting Studio Art graduate earnings, Shepherd University ranks 1st, the highest.

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 $80,300 in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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
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Cite this: “Shepherd University Studio Art: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/shepherd-university/majors/studio-art (College Scorecard and BLS data).