Associate+31% vs national median308 grads tracked
Design and Applied Arts at Northern Virginia Community College
Ranked 4th of 124 associate programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$39,731
middle 50%: $27,680 – $57,537
Median · 5 years out
$56,607
middle 50%: $42,371 – $79,157
Median · 10 years out
$65,353
middle 50%: $44,592 – $81,941
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 associates earn a median of $40k in year one. Earnings rise to $57k by year five and $65k by year ten.
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
7.5 yrs
≈ $8,629 total interest
Same major at other universities
Fashion Institute of Technology
$60,470 · 5 yrs out
Dallas College
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Bunker Hill Community College
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Front Range Community College
$56,170 · 5 yrs out
Brookhaven College
$55,464 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Bloomington
$54,757 · 5 yrs out
New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York
$53,258 · 5 yrs out
William Rainey Harper College
$50,919 · 5 yrs out
Norwalk Community College
$49,513 · 5 yrs out
Dakota County Technical College
$48,878 · 5 yrs out
Austin Community College
$48,617 · 5 yrs out
Tunxis Community College
$48,487 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Northern Virginia Community College
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$105,430 · 5 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Certificate)
$103,697 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Associate)
$100,794 · 5 yrs out
Accounting and Related Services (Certificate)
$95,510 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Associate)
$95,189 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades, General (Associate)
$95,189 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$92,628 · 5 yrs out
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate)
$87,210 · 5 yrs out
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) (Associate)
$86,799 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Associate)
$86,785 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Certificate)
$83,557 · 5 yrs out
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$81,671 · 5 yrs out