Associate+8% vs national median224 grads tracked
Design and Applied Arts at Houston Community College
Ranked 24th of 124 associate programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$35,130
middle 50%: $25,070 – $51,576
Median · 5 years out
$46,803
middle 50%: $31,974 – $68,723
Median · 10 years out
$55,335
middle 50%: $33,372 – $76,554
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Design and Applied Arts (associate) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Design and Applied Arts associate graduates earn a median of $35k initially. Salaries reach $47k after five years and $55k 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
8.9 yrs
≈ $10,463 total interest
Same major at other universities
Portland Community College
$47,631 · 5 yrs out
Hennepin Technical College
$47,521 · 5 yrs out
Salt Lake Community College
$47,297 · 5 yrs out
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology - Okmulgee
$47,119 · 5 yrs out
Housatonic Community College
$47,119 · 5 yrs out
Triton College
$46,948 · 5 yrs out
Arapahoe Community College
$46,784 · 5 yrs out
Century College
$46,435 · 5 yrs out
Lone Star College System
$46,435 · 5 yrs out
San Jacinto Community College District
$46,116 · 5 yrs out
Navarro College
$46,055 · 5 yrs out
Collin County Community College District
$45,591 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Houston Community College
Fire Protection (Associate)
$124,854 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Associate)
$99,334 · 5 yrs out
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$97,476 · 5 yrs out
Science Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$94,228 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$93,807 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Associate)
$87,244 · 5 yrs out
Engineering Science (Associate)
$87,244 · 5 yrs out
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$85,242 · 5 yrs out
Computer Programming (Associate)
$84,025 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$82,991 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Certificate)
$82,328 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$80,200 · 5 yrs out