Career outcomes for School of the Art Institute of Chicago graduates
Per-major median earnings and 10-year projection bands. Numbers come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (most recent release); trajectory bands come from the life-path model run server-side with a synthetic profile.
School-wide 10-year median earnings
$47,612
Median earnings of federally-aided graduates 10 years after first enrollment, across all majors at School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Top majors by graduates
| Major | Graduates / yr | Median earnings 4 years out | Work in Illinois 1 year out | Graduate degree or certificate 5 years out | Trajectory | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine and Studio Arts. | 702 | $45,602 | 54% | 6% | Run mine |
Median earnings: federally-aided graduates, ~4 years out (College Scorecard). Trajectory: 10-year projection from the life-path model with a synthetic profile — .
Went on to a research doctorate
0.7per 100 bachelor's graduatesU.S. average: 2.0
From 2016 to 2025, 37 School of the Art Institute of Chicago graduates earned a research doctorate, most often in humanities and arts and social sciences.
Research doctorates (PhD, EdD and similar) only: medical, law and business degrees aren't counted. The rate divides those doctorates by the bachelor's degrees School of the Art Institute of Chicago awarded from 2008 to 2017, allowing for the typical eight-year gap; fields with longer paths, like the humanities, read low. Source: NCSES Survey of Earned Doctorates and IPEDS completions.
Peer schools at this earnings band
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations, FL
0 majors with data·$52,335
Adrian College, MI
2 majors with data·$56,860
Alaska Pacific University, AK
0 majors with data·$51,046
See your own 10-year projection
The rows above use a synthetic profile (median household income, in-state residency). The life-path tool runs the same model on your actual income, family size, residency, and intended major.
Open the life-path toolShare
Earnings and graduate counts from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (most recent release). Last updated October 19, 2026. Methodology.