Arts, design and media
Art Directors
- Median pay
- $114,850
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
ProgramsVisual and Performing Arts
Design and Applied Arts
CIP50.04
652 colleges offer Design and Applied Arts. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 652
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $52,727
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $23,995
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 459
- Associate's
- 472
- Bachelor's
- 652
- Master's
- 134
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 6
- Doctoral
- 8
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 44
What it covers
About Design and Applied Arts
A program in the applied visual arts that focuses on the general principles and techniques for effectively communicating ideas and information, and packaging products, in digital and other formats to business and consumer audiences, and that may prepare individuals in any of the applied art media.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 50.04.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 50.04.
- Design and Visual Communications, General
- Commercial and Advertising Art
- Industrial and Product Design
- Commercial Photography
- Fashion/Apparel Design
- Interior Design
- Graphic Design
- Illustration
- Game and Interactive Media Design
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 459 | $39,9334 yrs after · 19 colleges | $10,62510 colleges |
| Associate's | 472 | $37,6894 yrs after · 89 colleges | $12,89953 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 652 | $52,7274 yrs after · 289 colleges | $23,995255 colleges |
| Master's | 134 | $69,9574 yrs after · 19 colleges | $55,40611 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 6 | $65,8301 yr after · 1 college | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 8 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 44 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Design and Applied Arts graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofit · 37 graduates
$138,588
debt $21,000
- 2
Lawrence Technological University-Michigan
Southfield, MI · Private nonprofit · 23 graduates
$99,444
debt $27,000
- 3
University of Washington-Seattle
Seattle, WA · Public · 35 graduates
$89,193
debt $15,000
- 4
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 78 graduates
$89,022
debt $18,250
- 5
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY · Private nonprofit · 39 graduates
$87,358
debt $25,500
- 6
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 47 graduates
$87,336
debt $19,500
- 7
University of Notre Dame-South Bend
Notre Dame, IN · Private nonprofit · 31 graduates
$83,414
debt $19,750
- 8
Orange, CA · Private nonprofit · 35 graduates
$78,121
debt $16,000
- 9
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofit · 198 graduates
$76,093
debt $26,875
- 10
Redlands, CA · Private nonprofit · 17 graduates
$75,374
debt $27,000
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Design and Applied Arts by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
- Bright outlook
Computers and math
Video Game Designers
- Median pay
- $104,000
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Programming
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Bright outlook
Computers and math
Web and Digital Interface Designers
- Median pay
- $104,000
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Arts, design and media
Special Effects Artists and Animators
- Median pay
- $102,030
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
Education
Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $96,870
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Doctoral or professional degree
- Instructing
- Learning Strategies
- Reading Comprehension
Arts, design and media
Commercial and Industrial Designers
- Median pay
- $83,910
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
Arts, design and media
Fashion Designers
- Median pay
- $80,960
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
Education
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $78,620
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Master's degree
- Speaking
- Instructing
- Learning Strategies
More in Visual and Performing Arts
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Music1,058 colleges
- Fine and Studio Arts1,052 colleges
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft862 colleges
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts427 colleges
- Visual and Performing Arts, General298 colleges
- Dance278 colleges
- Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management230 colleges
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other62 colleges
Questions about Design and Applied Arts
How many colleges offer Design and Applied Arts?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Design and Applied Arts at these degree levels: certificate (459 colleges), associate's (472 colleges), bachelor's (652 colleges), master's (134 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (6 colleges), doctoral (8 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (44 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Design and Applied Arts graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Design and Applied Arts earn $52,727 a year four years after finishing, across 289 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Design and Applied Arts graduates earn the most?
Carnegie Mellon University reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Design and Applied Arts: $138,588 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.