U.S. median for this major: $41,590.
College Scorecard field of study; 24 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 45% 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 $37,684. College Scorecard.
CU 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 CU'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 | $14,231 | $60,624 | 9.1 years |
| $30–48k | $14,381 | $61,263 | 9.2 years |
| $48–75k | $18,828 | $80,207 | 12.0 years |
| $75–110k | $26,915 | $114,658 | 17.1 years |
| $110k+ | $34,818 | $148,325 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 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 ($47,297) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $6,687 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 Colorado colleges
Every Colorado 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 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | $49,842 | $25,490 | $11,900 | 46% |
| 2 | University of Colorado Boulder | $47,297 | $21,500 | $25,346 | 74% |
| 3 | University of Northern Colorado | $46,502 | $25,000 | $17,760 | 51% |
| 4 | Metropolitan State University of Denver | $42,490 | $31,000 | $15,327 | 32% |
| 5 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $41,309 | $21,500 | $21,279 | 67% |
| 6 | Western Colorado University | $39,865 | — | $16,425 | 51% |
| 7 | Colorado State University Pueblo | $35,436 | — | $10,051 | 40% |
| 8 | Colorado Mesa Universitybachelor's & associate | $32,144 | — | $15,103 | 41% |
6 more Colorado 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 CU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About CU
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 74% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,738
- Full cost breakdown · all 68 majors · overview
Related majors at CU
- Music$38,701
- Theatre—
- Film and Photography$39,720
CU Studio Art questions
How much do CU Studio Art graduates earn?
Studio Art graduates of University of Colorado Boulder earn a median $47,297 four years after graduating and $17,501 one year after. The U.S. median for Studio Art graduates across 420 colleges is $41,590.
How much debt do CU Studio Art graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Studio Art graduates of University of Colorado Boulder is $21,500, about 45% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,361.
Is CU a good school for Studio Art in Colorado?
On pay, Studio Art graduates of University of Colorado Boulder earn $47,297 four years out, $5,397 above the median for the same major across 8 Colorado colleges ($41,900) and $5,707 above the U.S. median ($41,590). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does CU rank for Studio Art in Colorado?
Of 8 Colorado colleges reporting Studio Art graduate earnings, University of Colorado Boulder ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus at $49,842.
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 $81,450 in the Boulder, CO 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: “University of Colorado Boulder Studio Art: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/studio-art (College Scorecard and BLS data).