Graduates of Maine College of Art & Design earn median 4-year earnings of $40,550, placing Maine College of Art & Design in the 1.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,304 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Maine College of Art & Design in the 7.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Maine College of Art & Design #1428 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's concentration in visual and performing arts, fields where early-career earnings vary widely depending on career pathway and geographic market. The earnings pattern centers on Visual & Performing Arts. Design and Applied Arts is the largest program with 29 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $39,443, representing 0.8× the national benchmark for the field. The Fine and Studio Arts program graduates 24 students with median 4-year earnings of $34,720. Graphic Communications and Film/Video and Photographic Arts round out the program portfolio, with Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $41,600 at 1.0× the national benchmark. For students in creative fields, these figures represent meaningful long-term financial outcomes relative to ME's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,051.
Graduates of Maine College of Art & Design earn median 4-year earnings of $40,550, placing Maine College of Art & Design in the 1.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,304 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Maine College of Art & Design in the 7.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Maine College of Art & Design #1428 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's concentration in visual and performing arts, fields where early-career earnings vary widely depending on career pathway and geographic market. The earnings pattern centers on Visual & Performing Arts. Design and Applied Arts is the largest program with 29 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $39,443, representing 0.8× the national benchmark for the field. The Fine and Studio Arts program graduates 24 students with median 4-year earnings of $34,720. Graphic Communications and Film/Video and Photographic Arts round out the program portfolio, with Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $41,600 at 1.0× the national benchmark. For students in creative fields, these figures represent meaningful long-term financial outcomes relative to ME's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,051.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Maine College of Art & Design earn median 4-year earnings of $40,550, placing Maine College of Art & Design in the 1.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,304 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Maine College of Art & Design in the 7.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Maine College of Art & Design #1428 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's concentration in visual and performing arts, fields where early-career earnings vary widely depending on career pathway and geographic market. The earnings pattern centers on Visual & Performing Arts. Design and Applied Arts is the largest program with 29 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $39,443, representing 0.8× the national benchmark for the field. The Fine and Studio Arts program graduates 24 students with median 4-year earnings of $34,720. Graphic Communications and Film/Video and Photographic Arts round out the program portfolio, with Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $41,600 at 1.0× the national benchmark. For students in creative fields, these figures represent meaningful long-term financial outcomes relative to ME's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,051.
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of Maine College of Art & Design earn median 4-year earnings of $40,550, placing Maine College of Art & Design in the 1.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,304 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Maine College of Art & Design in the 7.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Maine College of Art & Design #1428 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's concentration in visual and performing arts, fields where early-career earnings vary widely depending on career pathway and geographic market. The earnings pattern centers on Visual & Performing Arts. Design and Applied Arts is the largest program with 29 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $39,443, representing 0.8× the national benchmark for the field. The Fine and Studio Arts program graduates 24 students with median 4-year earnings of $34,720. Graphic Communications and Film/Video and Photographic Arts round out the program portfolio, with Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $41,600 at 1.0× the national benchmark. For students in creative fields, these figures represent meaningful long-term financial outcomes relative to ME's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,051.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Maine College of Art & Design concentrates its program portfolio in visual and performing arts — a signature that reflects the institution's identity as a specialized design and art college. Design and Applied Arts is the largest program with 29 graduates, followed by Fine and Studio Arts with 24 graduates, Graphic Communications, and Film/Video and Photographic Arts with 8 graduates. Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 75 students annually, the institution's strength lies in the depth and breadth of its creative disciplines rather than in programs ranked at the national top quartile. The earnings pattern reflects the creative-industries focus. Film/Video and Photographic Arts leads with median earnings of $41,600 four years after enrollment, followed by Design and Applied Arts with graduates earning $39,443, and Fine and Studio Arts with graduates earning $34,720. These figures are characteristic of creative-field outcomes, where early-career earnings reflect entry into design studios, creative agencies, freelance work, and emerging creative roles rather than the higher starting salaries typical of engineering or finance fields. Maine College of Art & Design's program mix is anchored in Visual & Performing Arts, a portfolio that serves students seeking direct entry into creative careers and design-focused professional pathways. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how creative-field outcomes align with labor-market demand in design, media, and arts-adjacent sectors. For students prioritizing creative practice and artistic development over maximum early-career earnings, the institution's specialized focus and concentrated program depth offer a distinctive educational pathway.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
