Fine and Studio Arts at University of Idaho

University of Idaho's studio arts program starts graduates at $22,617—below both state and national medians—but there's a meaningful 41% income jump by year four, reaching $31,790. That growth rate is noteworthy for a creative field where many programs plateau early. The debt load of $25,239 sits right at the national median for arts programs but notably higher than Idaho's typical $19,822, which matters for in-state students who might expect state-level pricing advantages.

The real challenge here is context: with under 30 graduates in the dataset, these numbers could shift dramatically with just a few different career outcomes. What we can say is that first-year earnings lag behind BYU-Idaho's nearby program by about $2,500, and the program ranks in the 40th percentile statewide—meaning more than half of Idaho's arts programs launch graduates into higher-paying positions.

For families considering this path, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.12 means your child would owe roughly one year's starting salary—manageable if they're committed to building a creative career, but tight given that $22,617 leaves little room for loan payments and living expenses in those crucial first years. The small sample size makes this a higher-risk data point than programs with hundreds of graduates to measure.