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Visual & Performing Arts · Fine Arts Rank #32 of 385

Fine Artsat The College of New Jersey

Graduates earn $33,214/yr in their first year — about 31.0% above the national Fine Arts average. Base-case 10-year earnings $548K; scenarios range from $507K to $553K depending on AI disruption.

Ewing, NJ Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
39 AT RISK
40
Optimistic
34
Pessimistic
Earnings
$33,214
1-year post-graduation
ROI
6.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$548K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
40% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at TCNJ

The strong outcomes for TCNJ Fine and Studio Arts graduates are not an anomaly; they reflect a confluence of factors unique to your experience there. Being situated within easy reach of both New York City and Philadelphia offers unparalleled access to major creative industries. This isn't just about traditional galleries; it means you're close to a wealth of advertising agencies, design studios, media companies, and tech firms constantly seeking visual talent for roles like art direction, animation, and UI/UX design.

The program likely emphasizes practical, commercially viable applications alongside foundational artistic skills, equipping you for these higher-paying fields. Your networking opportunities and internship pipelines into these metropolitan markets are significantly stronger than many peer institutions. To maximize this advantage, actively seek out internships in NYC or Philadelphia early in your college career, building a professional portfolio that speaks directly to the needs of these vibrant creative sectors.

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
$507K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score34/100
Earnings Multiple6.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$548K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score39/100
Earnings Multiple7.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$553K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score40/100
Earnings Multiple7.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to TCNJ'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 TCNJ 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
Same state (NJ)
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 TCNJ

Other top programs at TCNJ

Other highest-scoring programs offered at TCNJ, 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 TCNJ

What does a 39/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Fine Arts at The College of New Jersey?

At 39/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Fine Arts programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.