Bachelor's-12% vs national median592 grads tracked
Design and Applied Arts at Minneapolis College of Art & Design
Ranked 87th of 135 bachelor's programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$30,926
middle 50%: $23,105 – $43,691
Median · 5 years out
$51,657
middle 50%: $35,051 – $68,983
Median · 10 years out
$62,026
middle 50%: $40,484 – $102,796
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 alumni earn a median of $31k during their first year. This increases to $62k after a decade of work.
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
8.5 yrs
≈ $10,316 total interest
Same major at other universities
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
University of Northern Iowa
$52,031 · 5 yrs out
St. Catherine University
$51,694 · 5 yrs out
University of Minnesota Duluth
$51,682 · 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
SUNY Buffalo State University
$50,607 · 5 yrs out
University of Northwestern- St Paul
$50,311 · 5 yrs out
University of Saint Francis
$50,245 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Minneapolis College of Art & Design
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Bachelor's)
$69,584 · 5 yrs out
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Bachelor's)
$69,584 · 5 yrs out
Visual and Performing Arts (Master's)
$60,927 · 5 yrs out
Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$49,979 · 5 yrs out
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's)
$49,979 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Bachelor's)
$48,096 · 5 yrs out
Woodworking (Bachelor's)
$48,096 · 5 yrs out
Visual and Performing Arts (Bachelor's)
$45,905 · 5 yrs out
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's)
$43,647 · 5 yrs out
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's)
$39,262 · 5 yrs out