Design and Applied Arts: bachelor's degree earnings by college

Median earnings of design and applied arts graduates (bachelor's degree) one year after graduation, at 314 colleges. National median: $39,259, rising to $52,671 after four years.

#CollegeStateEarnings after 1 yrAfter 4 yrsMedian debt
1Carnegie Mellon UniversityPA$91,413$138,588$21,000
2Washington University in St LouisMO$63,377$67,771$16,750
3Lawrence Technological UniversityMI$62,595$99,444$27,000
4Northeastern University OaklandCA$61,815$87,336$19,500
5Northeastern UniversityMA$61,815$87,336$19,500
6Southern Methodist UniversityTX$60,893—$14,000
7Texas A & M University-Corpus ChristiTX$59,050—$24,867
8Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA$58,660$72,213$22,000
9Indiana University-IndianapolisIN$57,448$52,038$19,500
10Wentworth Institute of TechnologyMA$57,393$68,160$20,750
11University of Notre DameIN$56,560$83,414$19,750
12University of Cincinnati-Main CampusOH$55,676$71,605$18,775
13Washington State UniversityWA$55,593$69,224$19,107
14George Washington UniversityDC$55,439$58,959$19,250
15Texas Christian UniversityTX$55,168$68,313$27,000
16The University of Texas at AustinTX$54,776$69,846$22,250
17Miami University-OxfordOH$53,973$67,981$20,500
18University of Wisconsin-MadisonWI$53,850$65,874—
19Kansas State UniversityKS$53,446$61,150—
20University of Southern CaliforniaCA$52,814$89,022$18,250
21Chapman UniversityCA$52,532$78,121$16,000
22Ohio State University-Main CampusOH$52,497$68,151$21,420
23Clemson UniversitySC$52,318$66,150$20,500
24University of KentuckyKY$52,254$62,966$26,750
25Dunwoody College of TechnologyMN$52,219—$27,000
26Florida State UniversityFL$51,865$73,888—
27University of Washington-Seattle CampusWA$51,789$89,193$15,000
28Baylor UniversityTX$51,727$63,522$22,500
29Design Institute of San DiegoCA$51,714$65,480$36,750
30Marist UniversityNY$51,543$66,010$25,500
31Purdue University-Main CampusIN$51,456$58,917$22,500
32Endicott CollegeMA$51,394$64,559$27,000
33Auburn UniversityAL$51,089$61,609$24,875
34The University of AlabamaAL$50,972$60,546$25,000
35University of ArkansasAR$50,778$65,780$26,500
36Drexel UniversityPA$50,567$66,294$25,923
37University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusOK$50,505$65,646$25,000
38Marymount UniversityVA$50,491$55,646$25,000
39University of FloridaFL$50,328$65,656$15,180
40Brigham Young UniversityUT$49,597$52,929—
41University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMN$49,401$62,414$20,500
42University of California-Los AngelesCA$49,377$66,259$14,000
43Stephen F Austin State UniversityTX$49,259——
44University of DaytonOH$48,920$66,679$20,000
45California State University-Long BeachCA$48,917$66,435$18,897
46Weber State UniversityUT$48,473$62,281—
47Los Angeles Film SchoolCA$48,271$34,769$48,125
48Pennsylvania College of TechnologyPA$48,069$53,796$27,000
49Abilene Christian UniversityTX$47,984$49,818—
50Kean UniversityNJ$47,591$56,666$23,950
51Millersville University of PennsylvaniaPA$47,578—$20,500
52Temple UniversityPA$47,578$60,782$26,976
53South Dakota State UniversitySD$47,339$52,630$25,959
54Minnesota State University MoorheadMN$47,338$48,976$27,000
55Thomas Jefferson UniversityPA$47,331$59,731$26,000
56Syracuse UniversityNY$47,057$71,527$23,571
57Seminole State College of FloridaFL$46,944$51,719$13,831
58Texas State UniversityTX$46,898$61,539$21,500
59University of DenverCO$46,741$69,251$20,500
60California College of the ArtsCA$46,636$59,238$24,812
61University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignIL$46,592$65,186$15,600
62Stonehill CollegeMA$46,487——
63North Dakota State University-Main CampusND$46,393$57,663$27,000
64University of DelawareDE$46,376$67,742$23,250
65University of North TexasTX$46,011$57,753$19,199
66Oregon State UniversityOR$45,925$60,434$20,500
67Oregon State University-Cascades CampusOR$45,925$60,434$20,500
68Illinois State UniversityIL$45,860$61,628$17,575
69New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNJ$45,853$66,488$20,000
70High Point UniversityNC$45,851$61,635$25,995
71University of Wisconsin-StoutWI$45,619$57,718$22,750
72University of HoustonTX$45,608$64,612—
73Maryville University of Saint LouisMO$45,478$52,185$19,750
74University of New HavenCT$45,245$31,975$27,000
75Art Center College of DesignCA$45,205$76,093$26,875
76Sam Houston State UniversityTX$45,200$57,019$21,500
77Ball State UniversityIN$45,159$53,514$21,462
78Iowa State UniversityIA$45,054$52,671$25,490
79Monmouth UniversityNJ$45,028—$21,500
80University of Northern IowaIA$44,983$47,736$22,500
81Bowling Green State University-Main CampusOH$44,926$54,274$24,957
82Arizona State University Campus ImmersionAZ$44,918$59,641$19,500
83Arizona State University Digital ImmersionAZ$44,918$59,641$19,500
84Metropolitan State University of DenverCO$44,916$61,654$15,939
85Grand Canyon UniversityAZ$44,856—$23,517
86Mercyhurst UniversityPA$44,671$45,411$27,000
87Middle Tennessee State UniversityTN$44,592$50,184—
88Kent State University at KentOH$44,403$56,540$25,000
89Prairie View A & M UniversityTX$44,394——
90Franklin UniversityOH$44,300$61,736—
91North Central CollegeIL$44,178$57,192$26,898
92The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTN$44,167$69,047—
93Laguna College of Art and DesignCA$44,069$68,934$26,625
94University of Central OklahomaOK$43,917$53,927$26,397
95Seattle Pacific UniversityWA$43,835$68,547$21,917
96San Francisco State UniversityCA$43,685$59,678$15,000
97North Carolina State University at RaleighNC$43,682$61,382$20,500
98Queens University of CharlotteNC$43,369$52,870—
99Interior Designers InstituteCA$43,308$67,473—
100Southern Utah UniversityUT$43,286——
101Portland State UniversityOR$43,283$56,158$19,500
102Fashion Institute of TechnologyNY$43,249$60,882$21,500
103West Virginia UniversityWV$43,085$55,669$23,979
104Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaPA$43,024$53,312$26,000
105Walla Walla UniversityWA$42,982$54,035—
106University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointWI$42,966$46,377$21,500
107Appalachian State UniversityNC$42,862$53,543$20,500
108Samford UniversityAL$42,854—$25,168
109Converse UniversitySC$42,849——
110California State University-SacramentoCA$42,779$53,871$14,987
111Western Washington UniversityWA$42,687$69,715$19,500
112University of OregonOR$42,631$65,573$18,500
113University of Massachusetts-LowellMA$42,585—$27,000
114Rutgers University-New BrunswickNJ$42,523$57,313$20,383
115Belmont UniversityTN$42,318$58,314$20,875
116Rochester Institute of TechnologyNY$42,257$52,043$27,000
117Georgia Southern UniversityGA$42,129$53,396$24,750
118Michigan State UniversityMI$42,052$53,250$18,500
119Western Carolina UniversityNC$41,982$58,467$25,500
120Newschool of Architecture and DesignCA$41,940——
121Pennsylvania State University-Penn State AltoonaPA$41,905$58,105$22,648
122Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusPA$41,905$58,105$22,648
123University of BridgeportCT$41,871$47,973—
124University of Arkansas-Fort SmithAR$41,801$44,819—
125Southern New Hampshire UniversityNH$41,693$51,370$19,292
126Russell Sage CollegeNY$41,589$51,485$18,375
127Dallas Baptist UniversityTX$41,542——
128Concordia University-Saint PaulMN$41,466——
129College for Creative StudiesMI$41,406$61,222$25,000
130York College of PennsylvaniaPA$41,398$52,222—
131Central Michigan UniversityMI$41,205$54,254$25,512
132LIM CollegeNY$41,029$58,061$28,250
133Ferris State UniversityMI$40,985$50,658$23,250
134Northern Arizona UniversityAZ$40,942$48,764$15,990
135Boston UniversityMA$40,940$72,809$17,500
136SUNY Buffalo State UniversityNY$40,887—$25,484
137Cedarville UniversityOH$40,799$51,813$19,668
138Mount Mary UniversityWI$40,780$49,881—
139Elmhurst UniversityIL$40,698—$16,499
140University of North Carolina at GreensboroNC$40,566$55,394$20,562
141University of KansasKS$40,564$59,441$21,250
142Roger Williams UniversityRI$40,444—$27,000
143George Fox UniversityOR$40,440—$19,500
144Farmingdale State CollegeNY$40,087$53,896$14,625
145University of Nebraska-LincolnNE$39,981—$21,500
146St. John's University-New YorkNY$39,933$63,659—
147Bellevue UniversityNE$39,920$48,632$19,367
148Saint Edward's UniversityTX$39,898$54,297$25,000
149Western Michigan UniversityMI$39,817$58,634$27,000
150Winthrop UniversitySC$39,751$54,194$27,000
151Pratt Institute-MainNY$39,579$59,792$25,000
152Central Connecticut State UniversityCT$39,430$57,214$20,630
153University of Minnesota-DuluthMN$39,399$52,727$25,095
154The University of Texas at ArlingtonTX$39,387——
155East Tennessee State UniversityTN$39,364$41,449$16,750
156East Texas A&M UniversityTX$39,298$61,748—
157Utah Valley UniversityUT$39,259$55,728$17,500
158University of Nevada-Las VegasNV$39,080$51,437$12,500
159Columbia College ChicagoIL$38,905$48,601$25,000
160Suffolk UniversityMA$38,882$60,159$27,000
161Northwest Missouri State UniversityMO$38,630——
162Indiana University of PennsylvaniaPA$38,625$52,359$25,375
163Adrian CollegeMI$38,619—$27,000
164Otis College of Art and DesignCA$38,585$55,891$27,000
165University of UtahUT$38,495—$21,171
166Boise State UniversityID$38,300$42,527$20,859
167Rocky Mountain College of Art and DesignCO$38,282$41,617$35,519
168University of Akron Main CampusOH$38,276$50,484$19,500
169University of California-DavisCA$38,255$62,209$12,592
170California State University-NorthridgeCA$38,152$59,676$13,000
171Carthage CollegeWI$37,969$48,431—
172San Diego State UniversityCA$37,926$54,569$15,000
173Bemidji State UniversityMN$37,810$54,642$27,000
174Lasell UniversityMA$37,743$32,379$27,000
175Harding UniversityAR$37,709$60,567—
176Drury UniversityMO$37,672—$27,000
177Drury University-College of Continuing Professional StudiesMO$37,672—$27,000
178Susquehanna UniversityPA$37,592$59,551$27,000
179The University of Texas at DallasTX$37,567$47,186—
180University of Wisconsin-Green BayWI$37,560$46,376$16,312
181Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan CampusNJ$37,403——
182Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham CampusNJ$37,403——
183State University of New York at OswegoNY$37,317$44,939—
184Oklahoma Christian UniversityOK$37,300$56,958$25,991
185Upper Iowa UniversityIA$37,215$41,109$21,500
186Ohio University-Eastern CampusOH$37,181$49,553—
187Ohio University-Chillicothe CampusOH$37,181$49,553—
188Ohio University-Southern CampusOH$37,181$49,553—
189Ohio University-Lancaster CampusOH$37,181$49,553—
190Ohio University-Main CampusOH$37,181$49,553—
191Ohio University-Zanesville CampusOH$37,181$49,553—
192Cleveland State UniversityOH$37,111$46,635$24,875
193California State University-San BernardinoCA$37,103$42,468—
194Montclair State UniversityNJ$37,032$56,176$20,500
195University of Illinois ChicagoIL$36,913$59,188$20,500
196The University of TampaFL$36,902$60,830$24,077
197University of Central ArkansasAR$36,835$51,050$23,500
198Keene State CollegeNH$36,830$50,507$26,452
199DePaul UniversityIL$36,812$55,213$24,049
200Full Sail UniversityFL$36,655$44,962$34,822
201Meredith CollegeNC$36,649$58,820$27,000
202Radford UniversityVA$36,461$55,856$27,000
203Bob Jones UniversitySC$36,407——
204Augustana CollegeIL$36,315——
205Milwaukee Institute of Art & DesignWI$36,219$43,944$27,000
206Louisiana Tech UniversityLA$36,193$41,534$25,860
207Northern Kentucky UniversityKY$36,074$52,703—
208Northwest College of Art & DesignWA$36,037$35,885$27,598
209The New SchoolNY$35,974$56,838$25,000
210Clark Atlanta UniversityGA$35,906$24,420$26,000
211Oakland UniversityMI$35,895$47,432$22,500
212Bradley UniversityIL$35,887$60,888$27,000
213University of Louisiana at LafayetteLA$35,851$42,867—
214California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCA$35,807$55,744$14,987
215Missouri State University-SpringfieldMO$35,771$50,814$24,250
216University of Saint Francis-Fort WayneIN$35,749$40,619—
217La Roche UniversityPA$35,535$55,392—
218Purdue University Fort WayneIN$35,523$44,227—
219Champlain CollegeVT$35,421$54,561$25,000
220Pennsylvania Western UniversityPA$35,336$40,854$23,750
221University of Central MissouriMO$35,302$42,778$23,995
222Charleston Southern UniversitySC$35,274$41,925$22,872
223California State University-Dominguez HillsCA$35,182$48,430$15,000
224Webster UniversityMO$35,109$40,397$24,843
225Liberty UniversityVA$35,080$47,797$20,923
226Seattle UniversityWA$35,066$53,117$20,416
227Arkansas State UniversityAR$34,965$39,897—
228Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVA$34,780$53,575$21,742
229University of Michigan-FlintMI$34,759——
230Stevenson UniversityMD$34,687$55,419$25,000
231Indiana University-BloomingtonIN$34,635$54,630$19,500
232California State University-FresnoCA$34,603$38,397$15,928
233Willamette UniversityOR$34,592$44,870$22,799
234California State University-Monterey BayCA$34,549$48,639$13,500
235Berkeley College-Woodland ParkNJ$34,548$44,538$28,908
236Minneapolis College of Art and DesignMN$34,544$39,467$27,000
237Mississippi Christian UniversityMS$34,401$39,178—
238West Liberty UniversityWV$34,363——
239University of Advancing TechnologyAZ$34,336$38,996$34,000
240Eastern Michigan UniversityMI$34,307—$27,000
241CUNY Queens CollegeNY$34,278$44,835$8,390
242Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteNY$34,202$87,358$25,500
243Rasmussen University-FloridaFL$34,182$46,610$33,762
244Rasmussen University-MinnesotaMN$34,182$46,610$33,762
245Rasmussen University-North DakotaND$34,182$46,610$33,762
246Rasmussen University-IllinoisIL$34,182$46,610$33,762
247Rasmussen University-WisconsinWI$34,182$46,610$33,762
248Rasmussen University-KansasKS$34,182$46,610$33,762
249Lesley UniversityMA$34,093$45,099$23,291
250University of San FranciscoCA$33,966$49,788$23,000
251University of South FloridaFL$33,938$54,770—
252Flagler CollegeFL$33,933$46,921$24,000
253University of the Incarnate WordTX$33,835$48,472$29,063
254Albright CollegePA$33,785$51,507$25,000
255Drake UniversityIA$33,633$58,834—
256Quinnipiac UniversityCT$33,611$61,419$25,000
257University of RedlandsCA$33,412$75,374$27,000
258New England Institute of TechnologyRI$33,344$43,886$27,000
259Nazareth UniversityNY$33,334$42,615—
260Aurora UniversityIL$33,327—$21,500
261Black Hills State UniversitySD$33,233$29,733—
262Marywood UniversityPA$33,189$49,774$26,000
263Cleveland Institute of ArtOH$32,949$47,147$27,000
264Massachusetts College of Art and DesignMA$32,893$45,716$22,509
265Augsburg UniversityMN$32,885——
266State University of New York at New PaltzNY$32,825—$15,750
267State University of New York at CortlandNY$32,804——
268West Texas A & M UniversityTX$32,655——
269University of Massachusetts-DartmouthMA$32,514$51,857$26,000
270Saginaw Valley State UniversityMI$32,182$41,864$21,250
271California State University-ChicoCA$32,019$44,629$14,937
272Coastal Carolina UniversitySC$31,897$40,150$23,125
273California Baptist UniversityCA$31,785$47,494$24,217
274Columbus College of Art & DesignOH$31,765$48,204$26,000
275University of Nevada-RenoNV$31,757——
276University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyMD$31,679$53,363—
277Robert Morris UniversityPA$31,673$43,698—
278Fitchburg State UniversityMA$31,537$42,946$25,500
279Savannah College of Art and DesignGA$31,174$45,923$23,833
280Moore College of Art and DesignPA$30,471$38,831$27,000
281University of Wisconsin-ParksideWI$30,289$40,410—
282Arkansas Tech UniversityAR$30,147$32,960$20,000
283Nossi College of Art and DesignTN$29,757$35,075$33,176
284Southern Arkansas University Main CampusAR$29,516$33,649—
285Florida Agricultural and Mechanical UniversityFL$29,271$35,817$19,334
286SUNY College of Technology at CantonNY$28,446$47,335$26,302
287Kansas City Art InstituteMO$27,969$43,070$27,000
288Rhode Island School of DesignRI$27,941$67,771$27,000
289New England CollegeNH$27,890$42,056$27,000
290CUNY New York City College of TechnologyNY$27,849$52,562$14,167
291Maryland Institute College of ArtMD$27,718$45,436$23,750
292Ringling College of Art and DesignFL$27,554$47,937$27,000
293University of Silicon ValleyCA$27,485$33,596$31,000
294John Brown UniversityAR$27,112$47,248$25,075
295Art Academy of CincinnatiOH$27,072$42,224$26,000
296Missouri Western State UniversityMO$26,881$41,728—
297Loyola University New OrleansLA$26,875—$26,375
298Montserrat College of ArtMA$26,744$33,496$27,000
299William Peace UniversityNC$26,522$40,817$21,500
300Wichita State UniversityKS$26,187$36,723$23,500

Earnings are median annual earnings of graduates who received federal financial aid, measured by the U.S. Department of Education. Colleges with too few graduates are not shown.

Frequently asked questions

How much do design and applied arts graduates earn?

The median college reports $39,259 in earnings one year after a bachelor's degree in design and applied arts and $52,671 four years after. The highest is $91,413 at Carnegie Mellon University.

How much student debt do design and applied arts graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for this degree is about $23,833 at the typical college.