Certificate (under 1 year)0% vs national median163 grads tracked
Design and Applied Arts at Trident Technical College
Ranked 12th of 32 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$27,323
middle 50%: $20,154 – $39,929
Median · 5 years out
$43,227
middle 50%: $31,089 – $60,696
Median · 10 years out
$54,365
middle 50%: $37,592 – $74,301
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Design and Applied Arts (certificate (under 1 year)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Design and Applied Arts certificate holders earn a median of $27k in year one. Salaries reach $54k 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
10 yrs
≈ $12,362 total interest
Same major at other universities
College Of DuPage
$47,502 · 5 yrs out
Collin County Community College District
$46,571 · 5 yrs out
Brookhaven College
$46,055 · 5 yrs out
Columbus State Community College
$45,053 · 5 yrs out
Houston Community College
$44,849 · 5 yrs out
San Jacinto Community College District
$44,087 · 5 yrs out
Mt. Hood Community College
$42,505 · 5 yrs out
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
$41,887 · 5 yrs out
Des Moines Area Community College
$41,244 · 5 yrs out
Sinclair Community College
$40,944 · 5 yrs out
Austin Community College
$40,037 · 5 yrs out
Amarillo College
$39,950 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Trident Technical College
Engineering (Certificate)
$91,987 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, General (Certificate)
$91,987 · 5 yrs out
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$80,008 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Associate)
$78,415 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Associate)
$78,415 · 5 yrs out
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$75,634 · 5 yrs out
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Certificate)
$75,253 · 5 yrs out
Air Transportation (Certificate)
$75,035 · 5 yrs out
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$74,986 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$74,635 · 5 yrs out
Transportation and Materials Moving (Certificate)
$73,565 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Certificate)
$72,871 · 5 yrs out