Home Schools Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Fine Arts
Visual & Performing Arts · Fine Arts Rank #112 of 385

Fine Artsat Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Graduates earn $33,285/yr in their first year — about 31.0% above the national Fine Arts average. Base-case 10-year earnings $445K; scenarios range from $423K to $441K depending on AI disruption.

Carbondale, IL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
33 AT RISK
33
Optimistic
27
Pessimistic
Earnings
$33,285
1-year post-graduation
ROI
5.8x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$445K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
40% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's Fine and Studio Arts program consistently propels graduates into financially robust careers, standing out significantly within a field often perceived as less lucrative. This success isn't accidental; it likely reflects a curriculum that effectively balances foundational artistic development with practical, in-demand skills crucial for the broader creative economy. You'll find the program likely emphasizes areas such as digital media, graphic design, or animation, alongside traditional arts, preparing you for roles in commercial art, educational institutions, or specialized creative industries. While Carbondale itself isn't a major art market, SIU's program appears adept at connecting students to regional opportunities and equipping them with portfolios that translate well into roles like art direction or postsecondary teaching. Focus on developing a specialized skill set and actively pursue internships to maximize your professional trajectory.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$423K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score27/100
Earnings Multiple8.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$445K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score33/100
Earnings Multiple8.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$441K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score33/100
Earnings Multiple8.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Fine Arts graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Art directors
+4.2% 10-yr growth · 12,300 openings/yr
$111,040/yr
High
2
Special effects artists and animators
+1.6% 10-yr growth · 5,000 openings/yr
$99,800/yr
High
3
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
+1.7% 10-yr growth · 9,000 openings/yr
$80,190/yr
Moderate
4
Artists and related workers, all other
+0.8% 10-yr growth · 1,200 openings/yr
$72,760/yr
Low
5
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
-1.6% 10-yr growth · 66,200 openings/yr
$64,580/yr
Moderate
6
Curators
+7.0% 10-yr growth · 1,800 openings/yr
$61,770/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Fine Arts

How Southern Illinois University-Carbondale stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Columbia University in the City of New York
NY · Private nonprofit
37
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
1.0x
ROI
University of Southern California
CA · Private nonprofit
38
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
1.2x
ROI
Ramapo College of New Jersey
NJ · Public
45
DW Score
$45K
1-yr earn
6.7x
ROI
University of Nebraska at Kearney
NE · Public
46
DW Score
$41K
1-yr earn
12.2x
ROI
Barnard College
NY · Private nonprofit
36
DW Score
$40K
1-yr earn
0.5x
ROI
Also at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Other top programs at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Fine Arts offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Fine Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Fine Arts at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Fine Arts at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?

A score of 33/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Fine Arts. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.