Design and Applied Arts: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 50.04. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 2,026 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 542 | 8,358 | $33,047 | $36,116 | $13,524 22 programs |
| Associate's degree | 515 | 8,370 | $31,578 | $38,127 | $13,723 73 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 737 | 20,229 | $39,422 | $51,490 | $25,265 275 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 9 | 0 | $63,454 | $81,857 | $18,474 1 programs |
| Master's degree | 166 | 1,683 | $58,414 | $70,073 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 9 | 21 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 48 | 137 | Data unavailable | $83,176 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Ad School-Atlanta GA · Private, for-profit · 69 graduates measured | $68,051 | $90,812 | $26,770 |
| Miami Ad School FL · Private, for-profit · 69 graduates measured | $68,051 | $90,812 | $26,770 |
| Miami Ad School-San Francisco · Private, for-profit · 69 graduates measured | $68,051 | $90,812 | $26,770 |
| Miami Ad School-New York NY · Private, for-profit · 69 graduates measured | $68,051 | $90,812 | $26,770 |
| Creative Circus · Private, for-profit · 46 graduates measured | $66,380 | $84,233 | Data unavailable |
| Gnomon CA · Private, for-profit · 31 graduates measured | $61,966 | $104,151 | $28,332 |
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design MA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $51,058 | $71,901 | $21,500 |
| Minneapolis Community and Technical College MN · Public · 27 graduates measured | $47,612 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Century College MN · Public · 25 graduates measured | $45,475 | $50,687 | $14,830 |
| Columbus State Community College OH · Public · 35 graduates measured | $45,053 | $50,921 | $12,079 |
| Austin Community College District TX · Public · 18 graduates measured | $35,416 | Data unavailable | $13,772 |
| Sessions College AZ · Private, for-profit · 22 graduates measured | $34,776 | $37,727 | $12,125 |
| Wake Technical Community College NC · Public · 93 graduates measured | $34,163 | $41,857 | $14,375 |
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 89 graduates measured | $33,888 | Data unavailable | $21,627 |
| Dallas College TX · Public · 18 graduates measured | $33,670 | $23,376 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| The New School NY · Private, nonprofit · 62 graduates measured | $62,840 | $66,896 | $16,682 |
| Seattle Central College WA · Public · 27 graduates measured | $48,848 | $43,416 | $11,998 |
| Kirkwood Community College IA · Public · 31 graduates measured | $45,405 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Dallas College TX · Public · 19 graduates measured | $44,607 | Data unavailable | $16,923 |
| Palm Beach State College FL · Public · 17 graduates measured | $43,922 | $40,966 | Data unavailable |
| San Diego City College CA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $43,786 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Harrisburg Area Community College PA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $42,279 | $35,131 | $13,000 |
| Houston City College TX · Public · 19 graduates measured | $42,248 | $30,434 | Data unavailable |
| Northern Virginia Community College VA · Public · 30 graduates measured | $41,662 | $41,159 | $16,320 |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College MN · Public · 22 graduates measured | $41,132 | $44,165 | $12,000 |
| Montana State University MT · Public · 24 graduates measured | $41,009 | $36,357 | $16,625 |
| Johnson County Community College KS · Public · 46 graduates measured | $40,087 | $48,084 | $11,000 |
| Madison Area Technical College WI · Public · 57 graduates measured | $40,042 | $47,515 | $14,750 |
| Minneapolis Community and Technical College MN · Public · 48 graduates measured | $39,951 | $48,952 | $15,000 |
| Sinclair Community College OH · Public · 26 graduates measured | $39,774 | $37,187 | $14,750 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University PA · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $91,413 | $138,588 | $21,000 |
| Washington University in St Louis MO · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $63,377 | $67,771 | $16,750 |
| Lawrence Technological University MI · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $62,595 | $99,444 | $27,000 |
| Northeastern University Oakland CA · Private, nonprofit · 42 graduates measured | $61,815 | $87,336 | $19,500 |
| Northeastern University MA · Private, nonprofit · 42 graduates measured | $61,815 | $87,336 | $19,500 |
| Southern Methodist University TX · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $60,893 | Data unavailable | $14,000 |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi TX · Public · 17 graduates measured | $59,050 | Data unavailable | $25,000 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA · Public · 59 graduates measured | $58,660 | $72,213 | $23,000 |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis IN · Public · 25 graduates measured | $57,448 | Data unavailable | $19,638 |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology MA · Private, nonprofit · 85 graduates measured | $57,393 | $68,160 | $20,500 |
| University of Notre Dame IN · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $56,560 | $83,414 | $19,750 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH · Public · 229 graduates measured | $55,676 | $71,605 | $18,500 |
| Washington State University WA · Public · 28 graduates measured | $55,593 | $69,224 | $19,250 |
| George Washington University DC · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $55,439 | Data unavailable | $19,500 |
| Texas Christian University TX · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $55,168 | $68,313 | $27,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus OH · Public · 28 graduates measured | $65,830 | Data unavailable | $18,474 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland Institute College of Art MD · Private, nonprofit · 246 graduates measured | $89,986 | $73,348 | Data unavailable |
| Pratt Institute-Main NY · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $69,098 | $82,883 | Data unavailable |
| Marymount University VA · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $68,106 | $69,957 | Data unavailable |
| The University of Texas at Austin TX · Public · 25 graduates measured | $64,660 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh NC · Public · 29 graduates measured | $58,079 | $60,289 | Data unavailable |
| Liberty University VA · Private, nonprofit · 84 graduates measured | $56,410 | $112,935 | Data unavailable |
| Kent State University at Kent OH · Public · 19 graduates measured | $55,372 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Iowa State University IA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $53,760 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus OH · Public · 45 graduates measured | $53,177 | $48,570 | Data unavailable |
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 100 graduates measured | $48,146 | $60,023 | Data unavailable |
| Savannah College of Art and Design GA · Private, nonprofit · 90 graduates measured | $47,276 | $65,866 | Data unavailable |
| Virginia Commonwealth University VA · Public · 18 graduates measured | $46,725 | $65,638 | Data unavailable |
| Ohio University-Main Campus OH · Public · 16 graduates measured | $45,689 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Academy of Art University CA · Private, for-profit · 50 graduates measured | $43,892 | $57,636 | Data unavailable |
| School of Visual Arts NY · Private, for-profit · 26 graduates measured | $33,775 | $65,176 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Design and Applied Arts
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web and digital interface designers | $104,000 | +6.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Architecture teachers, postsecondary | $96,870 | +2.6% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary | $78,620 | +2.2% | Master's degree |
| Postsecondary teachers, all other | $77,640 | +2.0% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Art directors | $114,850 | +4.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Special effects artists and animators | $102,030 | -0.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Artists and related workers, all other | $71,240 | +2.0% | No formal educational credential |
| Commercial and industrial designers | $83,910 | +2.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Fashion designers | $80,960 | +0.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Graphic designers | $62,960 | -1.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Interior designers | $67,190 | +2.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Set and exhibit designers | $75,240 | +1.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Designers, all other | $64,950 | +1.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Photographers | $44,660 | -0.7% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (10)
- 50.0401 Design and Visual Communications, General
- 50.0402 Commercial and Advertising Art
- 50.0404 Industrial and Product Design
- 50.0406 Commercial Photography
- 50.0407 Fashion/Apparel Design
- 50.0408 Interior Design
- 50.0409 Graphic Design
- 50.0410 Illustration
- 50.0411 Game and Interactive Media Design
- 50.0499 Design and Applied Arts, Other