Fine and Studio Arts at Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi

With only $17,507 in first-year earnings against nearly $30,000 in debt, this program ranks in the bottom 10% of Texas fine arts programs—and that's before we address the elephant in the room: the sample size here is tiny (under 30 graduates), making these numbers potentially unreliable. Even with 72% earnings growth to year four, graduates still earn about $4,400 less than the typical Texas fine arts graduate and trail the national median as well. For context, UT Austin's fine arts graduates earn roughly $32,000 four years out, while this program produces median earnings of $30,061.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.68 means graduates owe more than 1.5 years' worth of their entire first-year salary—a heavy burden for any creative field where supplemental income from side work is often necessary. The small sample makes it unclear whether these outcomes reflect the program's typical trajectory or just an unusually challenging cohort.

Given the weak positioning relative to other Texas options and the uncertainty around these numbers, parents should approach cautiously. If your child is set on studying studio art in Texas, programs like Midwestern State or Texas Woman's show graduates earning 15-20% more with similar or lower debt loads. At minimum, verify these outcomes with the school directly before committing, especially if your family will be taking on debt to finance this degree.