Fine and Studio Arts at Moravian University

Moravian's fine arts program graduates earn roughly $26,500 in their first year—about $1,400 more than the typical Pennsylvania art school graduate and solidly above the national median. That's the good news. The concerning part? The sample size here is tiny (fewer than 30 graduates tracked), which means a few outliers could be skewing these numbers in either direction. You're essentially betting on a pattern that might not be reliable.

The debt load of $27,000 matches the state median exactly, and with a debt-to-earnings ratio just over 1.0, graduates can theoretically pay off loans within a year of full-time work at median wages. That's manageable compared to many arts programs. However, first-year arts earnings often represent the high point rather than a launching pad—many studio artists see variable income as they establish themselves, and $26,500 doesn't leave much cushion for lean years.

If your child is set on studio arts and particularly drawn to Moravian's program, the financial picture isn't alarming. But given the small data sample, you're making this decision largely on faith rather than evidence. You might want to dig into Moravian's specific arts placement support, alumni network in the arts, and whether their graduates tend toward steadier design/illustration work versus more precarious fine arts careers.