Western Kentucky University Studio Art: earnings, debt & careers

Studio Art graduates of Western Kentucky University earn a median $45,957 four years after graduating ($28,291 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $27,000. That is $4,367 above the U.S. median for Studio Art graduates ($41,590 across 420 colleges), and ranks 1st of 9 Kentucky colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$45,957

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

College Scorecard field of study; 54 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$28,291

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$27,000

About 59% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,361.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$10,990 /yr

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

Sticker price $24,188. College Scorecard.

Western Kentucky University Studio Art: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Western Kentucky University graduates$45,957
Kentucky median (9 colleges)$38,192 (+$7,765)
U.S. median (420 colleges)$41,590 (+$4,367)

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 Western Kentucky 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$7,087$30,3322.4 years
$30–48k$6,871$29,4082.4 years
$48–75k$9,765$41,7943.4 years
$75–110k$14,049$60,1304.8 years
$110k+$17,653$75,5556.1 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (42% 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 ($45,957) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,441 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 Kentucky colleges

Every Kentucky 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
1Western Kentucky University$45,957$27,000$10,99056%
2University of Louisville$45,429$25,000$17,98861%
3Northern Kentucky University$42,684$25,724$8,19152%
4University of Kentucky$41,406$23,614$18,85171%
5Murray State University$38,192$24,619$9,09661%
6Spalding University$36,416$27,000$25,49152%
7Eastern Kentucky University$35,365$27,375$11,04050%
8Morehead State University$32,257$25,000$9,79352%
9Berea College$29,013—$6,10658%

13 more Kentucky 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

Bowling Green area$61,520
Kentucky$61,560
U.S.$72,040

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

Art Directors

Kentucky$76,160
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

Kentucky$49,940
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 Western Kentucky University, by income

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

College Scorecard

About Western Kentucky University

Related majors at Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University Studio Art questions

How much do Western Kentucky University Studio Art graduates earn?

Studio Art graduates of Western Kentucky University earn a median $45,957 four years after graduating and $28,291 one year after. The U.S. median for Studio Art graduates across 420 colleges is $41,590.

How much debt do Western Kentucky University Studio Art graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Studio Art graduates of Western Kentucky University is $27,000, about 59% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,361.

Is Western Kentucky University a good school for Studio Art in Kentucky?

On pay, Studio Art graduates of Western Kentucky University earn $45,957 four years out, $7,765 above the median for the same major across 9 Kentucky colleges ($38,192) and $4,367 above the U.S. median ($41,590). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Western Kentucky University rank for Studio Art in Kentucky?

Of 9 Kentucky colleges reporting Studio Art graduate earnings, Western Kentucky 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 $61,520 in the Bowling Green, KY 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: “Western Kentucky University Studio Art: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-kentucky-university/majors/studio-art (College Scorecard and BLS data).