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Visual & Performing Arts · Fine Arts Rank #22 of 385

Fine Artsat University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Graduates earn $34,582/yr in their first year — about 36.0% above the national Fine Arts average. Base-case 10-year earnings $486K; scenarios range from $456K to $486K depending on AI disruption.

Eau Claire, WI Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
41 AVERAGE
42
Optimistic
36
Pessimistic
Earnings
$34,582
1-year post-graduation
ROI
11.2x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$486K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
40% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

The earning trends you see for UW-Eau Claire’s Fine and Studio Arts program often reflect a strong emphasis on applied design and digital media skills, rather than solely traditional fine art. Many graduates find success in creative roles within regional advertising agencies, marketing departments for corporations, or as in-house designers for local and Twin Cities-based businesses in industries like health, manufacturing, and tech. The program likely cultivates practical, marketable skills in areas like graphic design, illustration, and digital content creation, which are highly valued by employers looking to differentiate their brands.

This outcome also suggests a robust career services network or faculty connections that help students translate their artistic talents into commercial opportunities. You'll often find graduates excelling in visual communication, user experience (UX) design, or even animation, leveraging the strong demand for digital creatives in the Upper Midwest. As you consider this path, focus on building a versatile portfolio that showcases your ability to solve real-world design challenges, beyond just exhibiting fine art.

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
$456K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score36/100
Earnings Multiple12.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$486K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score41/100
Earnings Multiple13.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$486K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score42/100
Earnings Multiple13.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire'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 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 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 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Other top programs at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 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 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

What does a 41/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Fine Arts at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire?

At 41/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Fine Arts programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.