UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a undergraduate certificate or diploma in Fine and Studio Arts worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 6 college programs with reportable data.
Personal baseline needed
$41,627 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$41,627Median year-4 earnings
$23,967Average institution net-price context
$11,594Median federal debt
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
Outcomes at a glance
$41,627Typical earnings four years after completion
$38,026Average earnings five years after completion
$11,594Typical federal student debt
32thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
348Degrees awarded in 2024–25
5College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 3 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Fine and Studio Arts
How much do Fine and Studio Arts undergraduate certificate or diploma graduates earn?
The national median is $41,627 four years after completion across reportable undergraduate certificate or diploma programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $11,594. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Fine and Studio Arts?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $31,707 to $41,627 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Fine and Studio Arts?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 12 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
CURRENT VIEW
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $41,627
- Federal debt
- $11,594
- Programs in the comparison
- 6
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $34,728
- Federal debt
- $10,250
- Programs in the comparison
- 38
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $41,265
- Federal debt
- $25,500
- Programs in the comparison
- 465
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,763
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 60
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,466
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 7
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$31,707National median$41,62775th percentile$41,627
5 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Highest observed earnings
Scottsdale Community College
$49,440 four years after completionScottsdale, AZ · inspect the full program →Lowest reported federal debtGemological Institute of America-Carlsbad
$8,233 among completer borrowersCarlsbad, CA · inspect the full program →Largest recent graduating classGemological Institute of America-New York
159 reported awards in 2024–25New York, NY · inspect the full program →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
5 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 5 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Scottsdale Community College$49,4402Gemological Institute of America-Carlsbad$41,6273Gemological Institute of America-New York$41,6274Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts$31,7075University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeNot availableObserved year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$78,620 median wage93,560 jobs nationwide+2.2% projected growth through 2035 · 8,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$47,570–$163,350 typical wage rangeFine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators$55,490 median wage11,220 jobs nationwide-2.9% projected growth through 2035 · 2,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$31,630–$144,210 typical wage rangeCraft Artists$46,080 median wage4,580 jobs nationwide+2.0% projected growth through 2035 · 1,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: No formal educational credential$25,960–$71,990 typical wage rangeSpecial Effects Artists and Animators$102,030 median wage19,970 jobs nationwide-0.3% projected growth through 2035 · 4,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$58,600–$177,110 typical wage rangeArtists and Related Workers, All Other$71,240 median wage6,930 jobs nationwide+2.0% projected growth through 2035 · 1,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: No formal educational credential$36,580–$136,660 typical wage rangeJewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers$52,540 median wage22,440 jobs nationwide-3.2% projected growth through 2035 · 3,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$35,580–$87,540 typical wage rangeArt Directors$114,850 median wage53,070 jobs nationwide+4.2% projected growth through 2035 · 12,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$64,900–$213,050 typical wage rangeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040 median wage1,065,210 jobs nationwide-0.2% projected growth through 2035 · 63,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$48,780–$107,600 typical wage rangeArchivists$64,550 median wage7,970 jobs nationwide+3.4% projected growth through 2035 · 1,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$39,970–$110,550 typical wage rangeCurators$63,420 median wage12,150 jobs nationwide+4.9% projected growth through 2035 · 1,600 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$40,470–$107,140 typical wage rangeMuseum Technicians and Conservators$51,440 median wage12,310 jobs nationwide+3.6% projected growth through 2035 · 1,600 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$33,780–$87,530 typical wage rangePhotographers$44,660 median wage51,760 jobs nationwide-0.7% projected growth through 2035 · 10,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$30,820–$91,810 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.