Best Fine and Studio Arts Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
14
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$157,447
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$25,423
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Rio Salado College
Grad rate: 3.9% |
AZ | +$297,300 | $57,552 | $13,740 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
GateWay Community College
Grad rate: 19.6% |
AZ | +$43,904 | $45,111 | $18,316 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Paradise Valley Community College
Grad rate: 19.8% |
AZ | +$13,628 | $43,633 | $19,032 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
University of Colorado Boulder
Grad rate: 74.9% |
CO | -$61,686 | $40,589 | $33,466 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Grad rate: 19.6% |
AZ | -$66,257 | $39,556 | $17,377 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Phoenix College
Grad rate: 14.5% |
AZ | -$121,913 | $36,806 | $18,033 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Estrella Mountain Community College
Grad rate: 20.5% |
AZ | -$143,506 | $35,693 | $17,366 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Mesa Community College
Grad rate: 15.6% |
AZ | -$217,635 | $32,067 | $18,975 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Gemological Institute of America-Carlsbad
Grad rate: 33.8% |
CA | -$237,527 | $32,655 | $39,513 | $8,233 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Gemological Institute of America-New York
Grad rate: 46.1% |
NY | -$238,473 | $32,655 | $40,459 | $8,233 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Scottsdale Community College
Grad rate: 23.1% |
AZ | -$242,344 | $31,622 | $19,682 | $11,187 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Glendale Community College
Grad rate: 14.4% |
AZ | -$257,676 | $30,019 | $18,056 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
South Mountain Community College
Grad rate: 19.2% |
AZ | -$432,752 | $21,256 | $17,872 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Grad rate: 58.7% |
PA | -$539,330 | $20,024 | $64,035 | $26,500 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Fine and Studio Arts Degrees by State
Browse Fine and Studio Arts programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.