Bachelor's0% vs national median690 grads tracked
Design and Applied Arts at University of Illinois Chicago
Ranked 49th of 135 bachelor's programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$40,108
middle 50%: $28,188 – $52,224
Median · 5 years out
$58,150
middle 50%: $44,398 – $72,557
Median · 10 years out
$77,146
middle 50%: $54,348 – $106,360
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
Design and Applied Arts graduates at the University of Illinois Chicago earn $40k in their first year. Salaries reach $58k after five years and $77k after ten years.
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
7.2 yrs
≈ $8,397 total interest
Same major at other universities
Texas State University
$58,736 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Farmingdale
$58,701 · 5 yrs out
Oregon State University
$58,688 · 5 yrs out
Kent State University
$58,644 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Dallas
$58,559 · 5 yrs out
West Virginia University
$58,393 · 5 yrs out
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
$58,150 · 5 yrs out
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
$57,938 · 5 yrs out
Oklahoma State University
$57,791 · 5 yrs out
Brigham Young University - Idaho
$57,769 · 5 yrs out
Ohio University
$57,562 · 5 yrs out
University of Indianapolis
$57,208 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of Illinois Chicago
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$203,383 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$155,322 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$152,674 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$149,199 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$146,852 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$143,939 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$139,846 · 5 yrs out
Dentistry (Doctorate)
$135,535 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$133,429 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$123,770 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$117,024 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$115,930 · 5 yrs out