Fine Arts and Art Studies: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Designed for students seeking a broad and interdisciplinary exploration of visual creativity, this program offers a dynamic foundation in the principles, practices, and critical contexts of fine arts. It supports intellectual and artistic development across multiple media, preparing learners for advanced study or careers in creative fields.
- Studio Art Practice: Hands-on development of technical and expressive skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, and mixed media, emphasizing conceptual growth and individual artistic voice.
- Art History and Theory: Critical examination of historical movements, cultural contexts, and theoretical frameworks shaping visual culture from ancient to contemporary periods.
- Visual Communication: Study of design principles, composition, and symbolic language used in conveying ideas through visual forms across diverse media.
- Interdisciplinary Art Forms: Exploration of emerging and hybrid practices that integrate digital technologies, performance, installation, and environmental art.
- Creative Research Methods: Application of inquiry-based approaches to artistic development, including experimentation, documentation, and reflective practice.
Fine Arts and Art Studies Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Fine Arts and Art Studies Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Fine Arts and Art Studies degrees, including Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, Artists and Related Workers, All Other and Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 115,260 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1121 | $80,190 | $47,040 - $194,530 | 97,890 | N/A |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other 27-1019 | $72,760 | $33,720 - $133,180 | 7,370 | $34.98 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators 27-1013 | $60,560 | $26,420 - $140,660 | 10,000 | $29.12 |
Fine Arts and Art Studies Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $41,790 in Kansas to $107,953 in California—a 158% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Hawaii, and Rhode Island. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 115,260 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Fine Arts and Art Studies by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 74 institutions offering Fine Arts and Art Studies programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Fine Arts and Art Studies is found at Mohave Community College (MCC) (109 graduates), County College of Morris (CCM) (56 graduates), Academy of Art University (45 graduates), Fordham University (35 graduates), and Skidmore College (29 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 751 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohave Community College (MCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
109 | Kingman, Arizona | Public | mohave.edu |
| County College of Morris (CCM) |
Associate's
|
56 | Randolph, New Jersey | Public | ccm.edu |
| Academy of Art University |
Associate's
Bachelor's
Master's
|
45 | San Francisco, California | Private | academyart.edu |
| Fordham University |
Bachelor's
|
35 | Bronx, New York | Private | fordham.edu |
| Skidmore College |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Saratoga Springs, New York | Private | skidmore.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
24 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| University of Mary Washington (UMW) |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Fredericksburg, Virginia | Public | umw.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
|
23 | Lowell, Massachusetts | Public | uml.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMBC) |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umbc.edu |
| Adelphi University |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Garden City, New York | Private | adelphi.edu |
| University of California (UCLA) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) |
Master's
|
19 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | vcu.edu |
| Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) |
Master's
|
18 | Portland, Oregon | Private | willamette.edu |
| Kenyon College |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Gambier, Ohio | Private | kenyon.edu |
| College for Creative Studies (CCS) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Detroit, Michigan | Private | collegeforcreativestudies.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) |
Master's
|
13 | New York, New York | Public | fitnyc.edu |
| CUNY Hunter College |
Other Award
|
12 | New York, New York | Public | hunter.cuny.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Master's
|
11 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Superior |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Superior, Wisconsin | Public | uwsuper.edu |
| University of Guam (UOG) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Mangilao, Guam | Public | uog.edu |
| University of Maine (UMaine) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
10 | Orono, Maine | Public | umaine.edu |
| Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) |
Associate's
|
10 | Boston, Massachusetts | Public | bhcc.edu |
| Schoolcraft Community College District |
Associate's
|
10 | Livonia, Michigan | Public | schoolcraft.edu |
| Duke University |
Master's
|
10 | Durham, North Carolina | Private | duke.edu |
| Stevens Institute of Technology |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Hoboken, New Jersey | Private | stevens.edu |
| Shawnee State University (SSU) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Portsmouth, Ohio | Public | shawnee.edu |
| Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (PUCPR) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Ponce, Puerto Rico | Private | pucpr.edu |
| Temple University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
7 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Public | temple.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Master's
|
6 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
6 | Providence, Rhode Island | Private | risd.edu |
| New York Academy of Art (NYAA) |
Postbac Cert.
|
6 | New York, New York | Private | nyaa.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
5 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| University of New Haven (UNH) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | West Haven, Connecticut | Private | newhaven.edu |
| Spelman College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | spelman.edu |
| Loyola University Maryland |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | loyola.edu |
| Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
5 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | mica.edu |
| Salem Community College (SCC) |
Associate's
|
5 | Carneys Point, New Jersey | Public | salemcc.edu |
| University of Akron |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Akron, Ohio | Public | uakron.edu |
| University of California (UCD) |
Master's
|
4 | Davis, California | Public | ucdavis.edu |
| Butler Community College |
Associate's
|
4 | El Dorado, Kansas | Public | butlercc.edu |
| Boston University (BU) |
Master's
|
4 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | bu.edu |
| Bristol Community College |
Other Award
|
4 | Fall River, Massachusetts | Public | bristolcc.edu |
| Quincy College |
Associate's
|
4 | Quincy, Massachusetts | Public | quincycollege.edu |
| Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) |
Associate's
|
4 | Reno, Nevada | Public | tmcc.edu |
| Northern Oklahoma College (NOC) |
Associate's
|
4 | Tonkawa, Oklahoma | Public | noc.edu |
| California State University |
Postbac Cert.
|
3 | Sacramento, California | Public | csus.edu |
| University of Denver (DU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Denver, Colorado | Private | du.edu |
| George Washington University (GW) |
Master's
|
3 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | gwu.edu |
| Butler County Community College (BC3) |
Associate's
|
3 | Butler, Pennsylvania | Public | bc3.edu |
| Swarthmore College |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Swarthmore, Pennsylvania | Private | swarthmore.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) |
Other Award
|
3 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Public | uwm.edu |
| Northeastern University |
Master's
|
2 | Oakland, California | Private | oakland.northeastern.edu |
| Morningside University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Sioux City, Iowa | Private | morningside.edu |
| Lindenwood University |
Master's
|
2 | Saint Charles, Missouri | Private | lindenwood.edu |
| St. John's University (SJU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Queens, New York | Private | stjohns.edu |
| Owens Community College (OCC) |
Associate's
|
2 | Perrysburg, Ohio | Public | owens.edu |
| University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Chickasha, Oklahoma | Public | usao.edu |
| Westmoreland County Community College |
Associate's
|
2 | Youngwood, Pennsylvania | Public | westmoreland.edu |
| Heritage University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Toppenish, Washington | Private | heritage.edu |
| Whitman College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Walla Walla, Washington | Private | whitman.edu |
| Alverno College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Private | alverno.edu |
| California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) |
Master's
|
1 | San Francisco, California | Private | ciis.edu |
| Bowdoin College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Brunswick, Maine | Private | bowdoin.edu |
| Manhattanville College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Purchase, New York | Private | mville.edu |
| Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) |
Master's
|
1 | Rochester, New York | Private | rit.edu |
| Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Cleveland, Ohio | Private | cia.edu |
| Lake Erie College (LEC) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Painesville, Ohio | Private | lec.edu |
| Marietta College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Marietta, Ohio | Private | marietta.edu |
| Ohio University (OHIO) |
Other Award
|
1 | Athens, Ohio | Public | ohio.edu |
| Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Shawnee, Oklahoma | Private | okbu.edu |
| Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Private | cmu.edu |
| Vanderbilt University (VU) |
Master's
|
1 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | vanderbilt.edu |
| Virginia Union University (VUU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Richmond, Virginia | Private | vuu.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Fine Arts and Art Studies programs
How much can I earn with a Fine Arts and Art Studies degree?
Salaries for Fine Arts and Art Studies graduates vary by role and location. Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $80,190 annually, while Artists and Related Workers, All Other earn around $72,760. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $107,953 compared to $41,790 in Kansas. Approximately 115,260 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Fine Arts and Art Studies programs?
Currently 74 accredited institutions offer Fine Arts and Art Studies degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Mohave Community College (MCC) (109 graduates), County College of Morris (CCM) (56 graduates), and Academy of Art University (45 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Fine Arts and Art Studies growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 1,787 in 2010 to a peak of 993 in 2020, before declining slightly to 751 in 2023-24. This represents a 58% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Fine Arts and Art Studies degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, Artists and Related Workers, All Other, and Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators. Related occupations employ approximately 115,260 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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