Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $33,285 put Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's Fine and Studio Arts program 31% above the national median of $25,391 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 8.4x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
Some AI exposure exists in Fine and Studio Arts's typical career paths, with 36% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 4% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $25,000 represents roughly 9 months of the $33,285 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #112 of 385 Fine and Studio Arts programs, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Five-year earnings of $36,135 are relatively flat compared to the $33,285 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.