Fine and Studio Arts at University of California-San Diego

UC San Diego's fine arts program starts with remarkably low first-year earnings of just $21,777—below both national and state medians—but shows exceptional growth, more than doubling to $43,657 by year four. This places graduates near the middle of California's fine arts programs and ahead of many peer institutions by year four, though still well behind elite programs like USC. The manageable $15,218 debt load (among the lowest 5% nationally for this field) keeps the financial risk contained during those challenging early years.

The caveat here is important: this analysis is based on fewer than 30 graduates, making the data less reliable than larger programs. Fine arts is notoriously difficult to measure since many graduates work multiple gigs, freelance, or pursue careers that don't immediately reflect their earning potential. The unusually strong earnings growth suggests graduates may be building sustainable creative careers, but year-one financial support—from family or side employment—appears essential.

For a selective UC education (25% admission rate) with modest debt, this program offers reasonable upside if your child can weather the lean early years. Just understand that nearly half of similar programs in California show stronger initial earnings, and the small sample size means outcomes could vary significantly from these figures.