Fine and Studio Arts: California State University-East Bay vs University of Maryland-College Park

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
19.1x
$28,220 tuition
12.1x
$46,020 tuition
Out-of-State
7.1x
$75,740 tuition
3.4x
$161,224 tuition
$539,541 10-yr earnings · Public
$555,373 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

California State University-East Bay University of Maryland-College Park
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.1x 12.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.1x 3.4x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,220 $46,020
Year 1 Earnings $33,220 $32,031
10-Year Earnings $540K $555K
Median Debt $16,625 $19,417
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 6.0 months 7.3 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 51/100 43/100
Acceptance Rate 96.8% 44.8%

Both programs have moderate AI automation risk (36% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Fine and Studio Arts graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Fine and Studio Arts graduates.

California State University-East Bay University of Maryland-College Park
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,220 $46,020
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $75,740 $161,224
10-Year Projected Earnings $540K $555K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.1x 12.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.1x 3.4x
5-Year Salary Growth +64% +77%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Fine and Studio Arts (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State University-East Bay University of Maryland-College Park
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $544K $540K $500K $561K $555K $513K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 19.3x 19.1x 17.7x 12.2x 12.1x 11.1x
DegreeWorth Score 52 51 46 44 43 38

For the full AI analysis of Fine and Studio Arts career paths, see the California State University-East Bay or University of Maryland-College Park program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Fine and Studio Arts graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$17,800
California State University-East Bay saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$1,189/yr
California State University-East Bay grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
19.1x / 12.1x
Out-of-state: 7.1x / 3.4x

Career Paths

Fine and Studio Arts graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Art directors $111,040 12,300 +4.2% 50%
Special effects artists and animators $99,800 5,000 +1.6% 52%
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190 9,000 +1.7% 44%
Artists and related workers, all other $72,760 1,200 +0.8% 0%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Curators $61,770 1,800 +7.0% 50%
Archivists $61,570 1,100 +3.8% 50%
Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators $60,560 2,200 -1.2% 43%
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Fine and Studio Arts Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Fine and Studio Arts: California State University-East Bay or University of Maryland-College Park?
California State University-East Bay scores 51/100 while University of Maryland-College Park scores 43/100. California State University-East Bay has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Fine and Studio Arts?
California State University-East Bay has an in-state earnings multiple of 19.1x vs University of Maryland-College Park's 12.1x. That means California State University-East Bay grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do California State University-East Bay and University of Maryland-College Park compare on Fine and Studio Arts earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $33,220 at California State University-East Bay vs $32,031 at University of Maryland-College Park. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $539,541 vs $555,373 — a difference of $15,832.
How much does Fine and Studio Arts cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $28,220 at California State University-East Bay and $46,020 at University of Maryland-College Park. Median debt at graduation is $16,625 vs $19,417. Both programs lead to the same Fine and Studio Arts career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.