I'd wager you have a better shot of getting a paying "art career" by starting with a STEM degree and trying to move to that field than getting an art degree. There's a reason we have a societal meme about art majors working as baristas and waiters -- it's more or less a degree that does not lead to a relevant career.

I don't know exactly what you mean by "art career" with quote marks specifically, but good luck trying. The fact that art majors are baristas and waiters is evidence of my point, not against it. Obtaining an art career is difficult even with the degree.

> You can't really have any kind of art career, for example, if you don't go to art school.

This can't possibly be true.

I actually do know what I'm talking about here, and it is true. The art industry has way more supply than demand. This is why art schools can still charge what, purely by the numbers, looks like a bad deal. Some people really want to work in art, and even if you end up "only" managing a gallery, you have to have the right credentials.

If you are a genius artist that happens to get lucky, sure. But if you want to have an actual art career, it will be tough without art school