How much money do Rhode Island School of Design graduates make and which majors earn the most upon graduating? Six years after enrolling, alumni who are working have average earnings of $39,800 per year. After ten years, graduates earn $51,100 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 RISD graduates.
The undergraduate degree which initially pays the highest is Design and Applied Arts with a median starting salary of $30,200 followed by Fine and Studio Arts paying $20,400 and Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates who have a median starting income of $16,000 .
Looking at post-graduate and doctorate students, those completing the Design and Applied Arts (Master's Degree) program rank first with a median initial income of $59,000 followed by Architecture (Master's Degree) at $48,700 and Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degree) who earn $25,400 .
Note about salary data: First year earnings data are aggregated by the US Department of Education and analyzes IRS reported income for Rhode Island School of Design 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 |
|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts (Master's Degree) | $59,000 |
| Architecture (Master's Degree) | $48,700 |
| Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) | $30,200 |
| Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degree) | $25,400 |
| Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) | $20,400 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) | $16,000 |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=217493 IPEDS survey and College Scorecard data for Rhode Island School of Design.