WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's-11% vs national median417 grads tracked

Design and Applied Arts at University of Northern Iowa

Ranked 84th of 135 bachelor's programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$39,525
middle 50%: $31,820 – $48,203
Median · 5 years out
$52,031
middle 50%: $41,759 – $64,861
Median · 10 years out
$67,426
middle 50%: $52,872 – $87,244

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Design and Applied Arts (bachelor's) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Graduates of University of Northern Iowa's bachelor's program in Design and Applied Arts earn a median $39,525 one year after graduating, rising to $67,426 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 11% below the national median of $58,393 for this field, ranking 84th of 135 reporting programs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
7.8 yrs
≈ $9,074 total interest

Same major at other universities

Georgia Southern University
$53,064 · 5 yrs out
Northern Arizona University
$52,982 · 5 yrs out
University of Alabama
$52,875 · 5 yrs out
SUNY at Fredonia
$52,745 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina -Greensboro
$52,345 · 5 yrs out
Lewis University
$52,165 · 5 yrs out
St. Catherine University
$51,694 · 5 yrs out
University of Minnesota Duluth
$51,682 · 5 yrs out
Minneapolis College of Art & Design
$51,657 · 5 yrs out
University of Bridgeport
$51,223 · 5 yrs out
Cleveland State University
$50,831 · 5 yrs out
Western Oregon University
$50,831 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at University of Northern Iowa

Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's)
$105,135 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's)
$104,398 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$100,633 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$97,512 · 5 yrs out
Statistics (Bachelor's)
$96,572 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$94,427 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$93,171 · 5 yrs out
Construction Management (Bachelor's)
$87,912 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's)
$86,740 · 5 yrs out
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's)
$86,334 · 5 yrs out
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's)
$84,400 · 5 yrs out
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations (Bachelor's)
$81,295 · 5 yrs out

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