WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's-7% vs national median3,146 grads tracked

Design and Applied Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University

Ranked 70th of 135 bachelor's programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$35,748
middle 50%: $25,544 – $47,554
Median · 5 years out
$54,230
middle 50%: $39,290 – $71,872
Median · 10 years out
$66,974
middle 50%: $46,848 – $95,370

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 Virginia Commonwealth University's bachelor's program in Design and Applied Arts earn a median $35,748 one year after graduating, rising to $66,974 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 7% below the national median of $58,393 for this field, ranking 70th 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
7.8 yrs
≈ $9,325 total interest

Same major at other universities

East Carolina University
$55,650 · 5 yrs out
Fitchburg State University
$55,520 · 5 yrs out
University of Missouri - Saint Louis
$55,464 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Queens College
$55,464 · 5 yrs out
Radford University
$55,444 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
$55,307 · 5 yrs out
Minnesota State University Moorhead
$53,776 · 5 yrs out
Sam Houston State University
$53,673 · 5 yrs out
Appalachian State University
$53,512 · 5 yrs out
Longwood University
$53,343 · 5 yrs out
Bowling Green State University
$53,339 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
$53,320 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Virginia Commonwealth University

Dentistry (Doctorate)
$175,347 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$157,685 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$154,279 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$152,472 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$131,725 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$130,026 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$128,182 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$123,259 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$122,217 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Master's)
$105,799 · 5 yrs out
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs (Master's)
$105,500 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$105,054 · 5 yrs out

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