How much money do California Institute of the Arts graduates make and which majors earn the most upon graduating? Six years after enrolling, alumni who are working have average earnings of $33,500 per year. After ten years, graduates earn $50,400 on average.
In terms of specific areas of study, the following is a ranking of degree programs by the median first-year starting salaries for CalArts graduates.
The undergraduate degree which initially pays the highest is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft with a median starting salary of $22,300 followed by Film/Video and Photographic Arts paying $21,500 and Music graduates who have a median starting income of $13,400 .
Looking at post-graduate and doctorate students, those completing the Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Master's Degree) program rank first with a median initial income of $27,300 followed by Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degree) at $21,800 and Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degree) who earn $21,700 .
Note about salary data: First year earnings data are aggregated by the US Department of Education and analyzes IRS reported income for California Institute of the Arts graduates who received federal financial aid in the form of grants or loans. Not all graduates or fields of study are represented as data for some degree programs are omitted for privacy purposes.
| Major | Earnings |
|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Master's Degree) | $27,300 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor’s Degree) | $22,300 |
| Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degree) | $21,800 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degree) | $21,700 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) | $21,500 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's Degree) | $20,200 |
| Music (Master's Degree) | $19,700 |
| Music (Bachelor’s Degree) | $13,400 |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=111081 IPEDS survey and College Scorecard data for California Institute of the Arts.