Economic Analysis Unfortunately Confirms Stereotypes About Art School
Making fun of going to art school as a futile and self-indulgent formula for regret is like... even more cliched than making fun of law school. Unfortunately, the latest economic data confirms that everyone must continue with this trite (and, frankly, unfunny) form of mockery until the situation on the ground changes.
The government released new data on student debt at thousands of American colleges. The WSJ crunched the numbers. And what did they find? Well, of course:
A Wall Street Journal analysis of new Department of Education data shows that median debt loads at schools specializing in art, music and design average $21,576, which works out to a loan payment of about $248 a month. That is a heavy burden, considering that salaries for graduates of such schools with five or fewer years' experience cluster around $40,000, according to PayScale.com.
Collectively, art schools left their indebted grads with the worst financial burden. Art is not about money; art is about pure expression of the soul, unfettered by worldly concerns, a single arena in which humanity can allow its creativity to flower, untainted by the tawdry fetters of this corporeal earth. So I guess it's not surprising. But look, art kids, we'd love to help you on the "Bad Jokes About My Degree" front, but... come on. Give us something to work with. At least a few of you need to sell out faster, just to move the curve.
The data also showed that NYU had the highest debt of any large university. Just assume that all college stereotypes are true, until further notice.
