Fine and Studio Arts at Kenyon College

A prestigious liberal arts college with a $1,440 SAT median charging $15,500 in debt for $23,000 first-year earnings deserves serious scrutiny. While the small sample size means we can't be certain about typical outcomes, what we can see is troubling: Kenyon's fine arts graduates earn less than their counterparts at five other Ohio public universities—including schools like Bowling Green and Youngstown State that offer far lower sticker prices. When the flagship Ohio State produces graduates earning 26% more ($29,186 vs. $23,082), the premium for Kenyon's selective environment becomes hard to justify.

The debt burden tells an even sharper story. At $15,500, Kenyon keeps debt lower than Ohio's $27,000 median, likely through generous institutional aid. But here's the catch: that "lower" debt still represents 67% of first-year earnings—a heavy lift when you're making $23,000. For context, the median fine arts graduate nationwide carries more debt but earns slightly more, landing in roughly the same difficult position.

For families banking on Kenyon's network and prestige to translate into better outcomes, these numbers should prompt hard questions about whether that advantage materializes for studio arts majors. The small sample matters—maybe these grads pursued low-paying internships or graduate school—but absent other evidence, this looks like a tough financial start regardless of the diploma's pedigree.