Fine and Studio Arts at Montana State University - Billings
MT · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 50.07
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Fine and Studio Arts degree from Montana State University - Billings earn a median salary of $38,107 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $36,606. The degree typically pays for itself in 37.8 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$27,929
Typical Career
$38,107
Top Performers
$50,710
Estimated break-even: 37.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$254
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,176. Most students can comfortably afford about a $254 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Montana buys what costs $1.04 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$36,606
Nominal: $38,107 in Montana (COL 104.1% of national avg) · 3.9% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $21,544 | $27,394 | $34,057 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $27,929 | $38,107 | $50,710 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $31,905 | $44,849 | $70,298 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $38,107 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MT, which has a cost-of-living index of 104.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $38,107 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0410)
= $36,606 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates reveal a significant presence in Educational Services (25.1%), Health Care & Social Assistance (20.3%), and Public Administration (9.5%). This distribution suggests that Fine and Studio Arts graduates often find roles that may not directly correlate with their field of study but still leverage their creative skills. The estimated break-even point of approximately 37.8 years compared to a high-school-only path indicates a long-term investment in education, with potential for a positive return on investment if graduates can navigate their careers effectively in these sectors.
AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.
Compare with Another School
See how the Fine and Studio Arts degree at Montana State University - Billings stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.