In the past couple of years, the role of the arts in society has been everything but static. The performing arts industry is a 54 billion-dollar industry that provides jobs for over a million Americans across the nation.
A BFA is typically a 4-year undergraduate degree that covers subjects from Animation to ceramics. Many will complete such courses as a result of feeling unprepared or if they need a sense of direction before entering the workforce, such as Berklee School of Music Graduate and professional dancer, Kevin Lau.
“I didn’t feel ready, I needed to train before I started working,” said Lau, “Getting my BFA in dance at BOCO (Boston Conservatory at The Berklee School of Music), gave my career a lifeline in a way.”
According to Juilliard, without any sort of financial aid or scholarship, the estimated total cost of attendance for the 2024-25 school year is $86,582. A startling statistic, especially considering the average performing arts salary in California is $62,335. In a perfect world, students graduating from one of the most prestigious performing arts schools in the country can only expect to pay off their $350,000 debt—created by attending for 4 years and completing their Bachelor’s in their desired art—in roughly 6 years if their living expenses are nothing, they save nothing and they find consistent work straight out of college.
In other words, for many people, attending private universities to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree such as Juilliard, Berklee School of Music and New York University is not cost-effective.
In addition to the heavy burden of debt that comes with such programs, other issues may prevail as by the time students leave university and complete their BFA, many will have already left the prime years of their careers behind them. In the performing arts industry, your age is your wealth and the first 4 years of adulthood are arguably the most crucial years for artists due to how physically demanding performing is.
Of course, the obvious rebuttal to these arguments is the ‘leverage’ that many schools may provide should individuals obtain a degree; however, even though having such a degree as a part of a resume may sway final choices when auditioning or looking for work, hard work, passion and potential almost always triumphs. For instance, when applying for college, admissions do not just look at your grades or what you have on your resume, but your essays and the substance of your character portrayed through them are just as important and to some, even more important.
International superstar Aaron Paul, acclaimed for his work on the hit show, “Breaking Bad,” claims to have never received any formal training and started his career in Hollywood as an usher at the Universal Studios Movie Theatre and as a result, made the connections necessary for his career. Bob Fosse, Leonardo Di Caprio, Ariana Grande, Roberto Bolle, Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury all never obtained any sort of higher education.
If a BFA isn’t the answer, then how else can performing artists make a career out of their art form? Well, dancers can take classes open to the public or become apprentices to some of the world’s leading dance companies. Actors can attend open calls, join their community theater or attend classes at their local community college for pennies on the dollar compared to a top school. Musicians can intern at a studio or become freelance writers rather than going straight to college out of high school.
Students can also choose to complete different college-level programs such as an AA, which is a shorter, less rigorous 2-year course. Or simply minor in their respective art, while completing a major for a different degree which holds more leverage in modern society.
In short, completing a 4-year course for a BFA in the arts is a very complex decision to make and is often a result of personal circumstances. While BFA programs are great for individuals who feel they need a sense of direction or extra intensive training out of high school, students who may think a top university is the only stop for them should always think twice before making a decision.
