WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's-9% vs national median109 grads tracked

Design and Applied Arts at Salem State University

Ranked 77th of 135 bachelor's programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$38,886
middle 50%: $29,428 – $47,460
Median · 5 years out
$53,279
middle 50%: $42,709 – $71,728
Median · 10 years out
$65,194
middle 50%: $48,144 – $90,406

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 Salem State University's bachelor's program in Design and Applied Arts earn a median $38,886 one year after graduating, rising to $65,194 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 9% below the national median of $58,393 for this field, ranking 77th 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
≈ $9,046 total interest

Same major at other universities

Minnesota State University Moorhead
$53,776 · 5 yrs out
Sam Houston State University
$53,673 · 5 yrs out
Appalachian State University
$53,512 · 5 yrs out
Longwood University
$53,343 · 5 yrs out
Bowling Green State University
$53,339 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
$53,320 · 5 yrs out
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

Other majors at Salem State University

Fire Protection (Bachelor's)
$128,416 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Master's)
$112,807 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$112,298 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$99,994 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$99,994 · 5 yrs out
History (Master's)
$97,133 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's)
$95,876 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Bachelor's)
$93,844 · 5 yrs out
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Bachelor's)
$93,589 · 5 yrs out
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)
$91,987 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Master's)
$91,284 · 5 yrs out
English Language and Literature/Letters (Master's)
$89,036 · 5 yrs out

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