Program Analysis
Graduates earn $21,908/yr, roughly in line with the $25,391 national median for Fine and Studio Arts. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
At 7.9x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 36% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $22,500 debt load exceeds a year of the $21,908 starting salary, suggesting a multi-year repayment window before graduates break even financially.
At #231 out of 385 programs, Rutgers University-New Brunswick's financial outcomes for Fine and Studio Arts trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
Earnings growth from $21,908 to $48,946 over five years (123% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.