Fine and Studio Arts at Pacific Lutheran University

Pacific Lutheran's fine arts program produces graduates who start at $23,766—below both the Washington state median ($25,947) and national average. The 40th percentile ranking among Washington programs tells you this isn't a competitive choice even within the state, where schools like Seattle Pacific and University of Puget Sound place graduates earning 50% more right out of college. The earnings do grow 27% over four years to just over $30,000, but that's still barely enough to make the $25,000 debt manageable.

Here's the practical reality: your child would be taking on debt roughly equal to their first year's salary to enter a career field that's already challenging financially. While the 1.05 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic by fine arts standards, it means starting out with significant monthly payments on an income that leaves little margin for error. Washington's public universities (like UW Seattle and Central Washington) deliver similar or better outcomes, often with lower costs for in-state students.

The small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates tracked—means these numbers could shift considerably, but that also signals limited program size and potentially fewer industry connections. For a family weighing a $25,000+ investment in an arts degree, you'd want to see this program either costing less or delivering notably better career preparation than it currently demonstrates.