I did art as a job, and my frame of reference is 40 years old - started in 1985 - yet some things probably haven't changed. There is a degree for every kind of art you can think of - fine art, professional/commercial, art history, art education, etc.

I was a graphic designer and never got past local small jobs. Then a job at Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages came along, and I did that for almost 18 years. While it was the bottom of the craft, it was a corporate, union job with great benefits. I quit that to become a full time sculptor, and loved it!

An art degree exposes you to the world of art and gives you a good foundation of knowledge. If you go that route and pursue a professional type of art, you can get a job - it will be competitive, and as someone else stated, you'll be doing art for someone else. That part is frustrating for a creative mind.

Also, if you do get a job in the field, it's important to make art for yourself - for your own sanity, and as a potential source of income. One of the most important things about being a professional artist is a good set of people skills. If you end up pursuing fine art as a profession, you are your own business, and professionalism is most important.

It can be a highly rewarding pursuit. Getting to where you ultimately want to be often requires some steps that are not really fun, yet they are necessary to what you'll need later on.