WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's+5% vs national median848 grads tracked

Design and Applied Arts at Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Ranked 35th of 135 bachelor's programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$40,844
middle 50%: $28,309 – $55,067
Median · 5 years out
$61,375
middle 50%: $42,474 – $82,803
Median · 10 years out
$73,307
middle 50%: $53,078 – $116,517

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 Massachusetts College of Art and Design's bachelor's program in Design and Applied Arts earn a median $40,844 one year after graduating, rising to $73,307 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 5% above the national median of $58,393 for this field, ranking 35th 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
6.9 yrs
≈ $8,085 total interest

Same major at other universities

Clemson University
$62,363 · 5 yrs out
Colorado State University
$62,306 · 5 yrs out
Texas A&M University - Commerce
$61,926 · 5 yrs out
Portland State University
$61,827 · 5 yrs out
Winthrop University
$61,827 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Madison
$61,756 · 5 yrs out
Metropolitan State University of Denver
$60,886 · 5 yrs out
Central Connecticut State University
$60,703 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Bloomington
$60,657 · 5 yrs out
Concordia University - Saint Paul
$59,848 · 5 yrs out
Marymount University
$59,793 · 5 yrs out
New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York
$59,083 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Architecture and Related Services (Master's)
$80,729 · 5 yrs out
Visual and Performing Arts (Certificate)
$78,843 · 5 yrs out
Design and Applied Arts (Certificate)
$78,843 · 5 yrs out
Education (Master's)
$75,329 · 5 yrs out
Architecture and Related Services (Bachelor's)
$64,666 · 5 yrs out
Environmental Design (Bachelor's)
$64,666 · 5 yrs out
Visual and Performing Arts (Master's)
$61,827 · 5 yrs out
Visual and Performing Arts (Bachelor's)
$52,806 · 5 yrs out
Education (Bachelor's)
$52,508 · 5 yrs out
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's)
$52,508 · 5 yrs out
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's)
$51,078 · 5 yrs out
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's)
$47,138 · 5 yrs out

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