Fine and Studio Arts at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

UW-La Crosse's Fine Arts program produces earnings that trail not just the state median by $10,000, but nearly every other Wisconsin public university. Among the state's 29 art programs, this one ranks in the 10th percentile—meaning 90% of comparable Wisconsin programs deliver better outcomes. While other UW System schools place graduates at $30,000-$38,000 four years out, La Crosse graduates earn just $28,536.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could shift dramatically year to year, but the debt picture compounds the concern. At nearly $20,000, graduates carry debt roughly equal to their first-year salary, and that initial $19,407 barely qualifies as full-time minimum wage work. The 47% earnings growth to year four sounds promising until you realize it merely brings graduates up to what many Wisconsin art programs deliver immediately after graduation.

For families considering in-state tuition savings, this represents a poor use of those advantages. If your child is committed to studying fine arts in Wisconsin, the data clearly points toward UW-Oshkosh, Platteville, or Eau Claire, where graduates earn 30-50% more. Given the volatility in this program's small cohort, these numbers warrant serious conversations about whether La Crosse specifically—rather than art school generally—makes financial sense.