Design and Applied Arts graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn $65,638 median salary — above the national average for this program.
Design and Applied Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Design and Applied Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Virginia Commonwealth University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Design and Applied Arts at the master's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 10 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Virginia Commonwealth University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $65,638 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $64,591 across all institutions offering Design and Applied Arts, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Virginia Commonwealth University, the mean median-earnings figure is $74,006, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school.. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Design and Applied Arts at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois Institute of Technology | $144,324 | — |
| Liberty University | $112,935 | $30,991 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | $106,421 | $64,233 |
| Rhode Island School of Design | $93,136 | — |
| The New School | $86,473 | $42,587 |
| California College of the Arts | $86,129 | — |
| Pratt Institute-Main | $82,883 | $123,755 |
| Drexel University | $80,986 | — |
| George Washington University | $75,210 | $75,495 |
| Maryland Institute College of Art | $73,348 | $39,905 |
Other Programs at Virginia Commonwealth University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | $336,392 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $206,527 | $102,262 |
| Dentistry | $197,507 | $273,400 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $136,353 | $41,000 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $135,859 | $141,047 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $134,661 | $37,750 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $119,836 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $118,521 | $19,933 |
| Computer Engineering | $118,273 | $23,605 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $116,932 | $41,000 |
Other Schools with Design and Applied Arts
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.