Fine and Studio Arts at University of Colorado Boulder

CU Boulder's fine arts program carries significant risks that deserve careful consideration. At $17,501 in first-year earnings, graduates earn just 62% of what Colorado's median fine arts graduate makes—ranking in the bottom 10th percentile statewide. Even after four years, when earnings reach $35,473, graduates still trail the typical Colorado fine arts grad's first-year earnings. This puts Boulder below every other major Colorado program tracked, including peer institutions like Colorado State ($30,143) and CU Denver ($31,144).

The debt burden amplifies these concerns. While $21,500 might seem manageable compared to other degrees, it exceeds first-year earnings and sits at the 75th percentile nationally for fine arts programs—meaning three-quarters of comparable programs leave students with less debt. The dramatic earnings growth (103% from year one to year four) suggests many graduates may be cobbling together freelance work or non-arts employment initially before finding steadier footing, but they're starting from an exceptionally low base.

The small sample size here is critical: we're looking at fewer than 30 graduates, so these figures could swing dramatically in either direction. For a family paying out-of-state tuition at a flagship university, these outcomes should prompt serious questions about whether this specific program justifies the investment, especially when Colorado offers stronger-performing arts programs at comparable institutions.