Design and Applied Arts graduates from Western Carolina University earn $58,467 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $29,911.
Design and Applied Arts at Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, North Carolina • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Design and Applied Arts at Western Carolina University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Western Carolina University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Design and Applied Arts at the bachelor'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 19 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Western Carolina University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $58,467 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 $49,451 across all institutions offering Design and Applied Arts, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Western Carolina University, the mean median-earnings figure is $58,660, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Design and Applied Arts graduates at Western Carolina University is $29,911, which translates to roughly $249 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | $138,588 | $24,500 |
| Lawrence Technological University | $99,444 | — |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | $95,697 | $26,354 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $89,193 | $12,250 |
| University of Southern California | $89,022 | $18,000 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $87,358 | $25,000 |
| Northeastern University | $87,336 | $25,500 |
| University of Notre Dame | $83,414 | $19,250 |
| Chapman University | $78,121 | $23,823 |
| Art Center College of Design | $76,093 | $31,000 |
Other Programs at Western Carolina University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $122,811 | $36,847 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $100,807 | $28,117 |
| Computer Science | $86,853 | $27,000 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | $83,954 | $26,000 |
| Engineering, General | $82,500 | $25,550 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $79,533 | $17,500 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $79,441 | $22,457 |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General | $78,801 | $25,250 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $78,343 | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $77,673 | $22,818 |
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.