Fine and Studio Arts at Emporia State University

Emporia State's Fine Arts program delivers some of the weakest initial outcomes in Kansas—$19,276 barely covers rent in most cities—but the 47% earnings growth over four years suggests graduates eventually find their footing. Still, when Kansas peers like Fort Hays State start their grads at $32,000, that's a tough gap to justify, especially at a school with a 98% admission rate where selectivity isn't driving outcomes.

The debt load itself is reasonable at $25,129, matching both state and national medians. But context matters: borrowing $25,000 makes sense when you're earning $32,000 out of the gate; it's a different calculation when you're starting at $19,000. Even after four years at $28,230, graduates are still earning below the Kansas median of $27,518 for this major. The 25th percentile state ranking means three-quarters of Kansas art programs produce better-earning graduates.

The growth trajectory is the lone bright spot here—jumping from the 14th to presumably a higher national percentile by year four. But that improvement comes from an extremely low baseline. For parents weighing this investment, the question is whether their child has the resources to weather those first couple of years earning less than $20,000 while carrying student debt. If scholarships can eliminate borrowing, this becomes more viable. Otherwise, the stronger starting salaries at Fort Hays or Kansas State provide a more stable foundation for an already financially challenging field.