WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's+13% vs national median936 grads tracked

Design and Applied Arts at North Carolina State University

Ranked 18th of 135 bachelor's programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$44,206
middle 50%: $30,713 – $58,934
Median · 5 years out
$65,807
middle 50%: $48,281 – $91,442
Median · 10 years out
$81,618
middle 50%: $58,483 – $122,589

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 North Carolina State University's bachelor's program in Design and Applied Arts earn a median $44,206 one year after graduating, rising to $81,618 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 13% above the national median of $58,393 for this field, ranking 18th 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
6.4 yrs
≈ $7,443 total interest

Same major at other universities

Miami University
$68,857 · 5 yrs out
University of Oregon
$68,723 · 5 yrs out
SUNY College at Purchase
$66,986 · 5 yrs out
Utah State University
$66,382 · 5 yrs out
University of Houston
$66,328 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Oneonta
$66,303 · 5 yrs out
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
$64,712 · 5 yrs out
Arizona State University
$64,530 · 5 yrs out
DePaul University
$64,085 · 5 yrs out
Loyola University Chicago
$63,750 · 5 yrs out
University of Michigan
$63,572 · 5 yrs out
University of North Texas
$63,192 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at North Carolina State University

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$164,191 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$159,758 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$133,569 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$130,109 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$116,091 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$113,912 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$110,004 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields (Doctorate)
$109,592 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$106,364 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$106,347 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$105,676 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$105,676 · 5 yrs out

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