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SAME FIELD · SAME CREDENTIAL · ONE STATE

Design and Applied Arts bachelor's degree programs in California

Compare 29 reporting programs using the same federal field and bachelor's degree credential definition. Earnings are observed four years after completion.

29Programs reporting earnings

$57,740Median year-4 earnings

$23,000Median federal debt

25Programs reporting debt

OUTCOME SPREAD

Highest reported earnings in California

Each bar uses the same field, credential, state and earnings year.

1University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles · $18,262 federal debt$89,022 2Chapman UniversityOrange · $23,000 federal debt$78,121 3Art Center College of DesignPasadena · $31,050 federal debt$76,093 4University of RedlandsRedlands · Debt not reported$75,374 5Laguna College of Art and DesignLaguna Beach · $27,000 federal debt$68,934 6Interior Designers InstituteNewport Beach · $28,655 federal debt$67,473 7California State University, Long BeachLong Beach · $17,215 federal debt$66,435 8University of California, Santa CruzSanta Cruz · Debt not reported$66,333 9University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles · $20,000 federal debt$66,259 10University of California, DavisDavis · $15,000 federal debt$62,209

CAREER CONTEXT IN CA

What related occupations pay in California

These are common occupational matches for this field, ranked by the strength of the federal education-to-occupation match.

25-1121Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

State median wage: $99,410
Middle 50% wage range: $74,960–$143,070
State employment: 9,820
Projected growth: +2.2%
Annual openings: 8,000

10th–90th percentile: $60,420–$202,740

27-1024Graphic Designers

State median wage: $75,130
Middle 50% wage range: $55,500–$99,240
State employment: 27,390
Projected growth: -1.7%
Annual openings: 16,000

10th–90th percentile: $46,190–$129,560

27-1021Commercial and Industrial Designers

State median wage: $100,770
Middle 50% wage range: $76,060–$133,190
State employment: 5,300
Projected growth: +2.4%
Annual openings: 2,800

10th–90th percentile: $62,860–$168,490

27-1029Designers, All Other

State median wage: $65,420
Middle 50% wage range: $51,020–$103,060
State employment: 3,110
Projected growth: +1.2%
Annual openings: 2,100

10th–90th percentile: $49,050–$140,430

27-1019Artists and Related Workers, All Other

State median wage: $60,540
Middle 50% wage range: $36,580–$85,060
State employment: 740
Projected growth: +2.0%
Annual openings: 1,100

10th–90th percentile: $36,580–$109,390

15-1255Web and Digital Interface Designers

State median wage: $136,110
Middle 50% wage range: $91,600–$191,960
State employment: 27,090
Projected growth: +6.0%
Annual openings: 8,300

10th–90th percentile: $68,090–$219,750

27-1014Special Effects Artists and Animators

State median wage: $130,540
Middle 50% wage range: $99,280–$164,800
State employment: 7,410
Projected growth: -0.3%
Annual openings: 4,200

10th–90th percentile: $71,710–$206,160

27-1027Set and Exhibit Designers

State median wage: $105,030
Middle 50% wage range: $73,200–$134,030
State employment: 2,690
Projected growth: +1.4%
Annual openings: 2,200

10th–90th percentile: $47,400–$162,820

Career wages and employment are BLS estimates for everyone working in each occupation in California; they are not earnings or placement rates for graduates of these programs. Wage ranges show the distribution across workers, not an entry-to-experienced career path. Growth and annual openings are national 2025–35 projections. BLS reports openings in thousands; DegreeVerdict displays the corresponding job count. These figures provide labor-market context and are not used in DegreeVerdict payoff or ROI calculations.

ALL REPORTING PROGRAMS

Compare every available outcome

Sorted by observed year-4 earnings. Open a row for its exact college-and-degree profile.

#	College	City	Median year-4 earnings	Median federal debt
1	University of Southern California	Los Angeles	$89,022	$18,262
2	Chapman University	Orange	$78,121	$23,000
3	Art Center College of Design	Pasadena	$76,093	$31,050
4	University of Redlands	Redlands	$75,374	Not available
5	Laguna College of Art and Design	Laguna Beach	$68,934	$27,000
6	Interior Designers Institute	Newport Beach	$67,473	$28,655
7	California State University, Long Beach	Long Beach	$66,435	$17,215
8	University of California, Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz	$66,333	Not available
9	University of California, Los Angeles	Los Angeles	$66,259	$20,000
10	University of California, Davis	Davis	$62,209	$15,000
11	Woodbury University	Burbank	$62,092	$26,980
12	San Francisco State University	San Francisco	$59,678	$18,000
13	California State University, Northridge	Northridge	$59,676	Not available
14	California College of the Arts	San Francisco	$59,238	$27,000
15	Point Loma Nazarene University	San Diego	$57,740	Not available
16	Otis College of Art and Design	Los Angeles	$55,891	$27,000
17	California State Polytechnic University-Pomona	Pomona	$55,744	$21,160
18	San Diego State University	San Diego	$54,569	$13,716
19	California State University, Sacramento	Sacramento	$53,871	$15,750
20	University of San Francisco	San Francisco	$49,788	$26,500
21	California State University, Monterey Bay	Seaside	$48,639	$14,827
22	California State University, Dominguez Hills	Carson	$48,430	$12,688
23	California Baptist University	Riverside	$47,494	$26,487
24	California State University, Chico	Chico	$44,629	$19,047
25	California State University, San Bernardino	San Bernardino	$42,468	$16,139
26	Academy of Art University	San Francisco	$38,583	$33,187
27	California State University, Fresno	Fresno	$38,397	$24,410
28	Los Angeles Film School	Hollywood	$34,769	$51,250
29	University of Silicon Valley	San Jose	$33,596	$31,000

This is an observed-outcomes comparison, not a universal quality ranking. Missing and privacy-suppressed programs are excluded.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

A quick read on Design and Applied Arts in California

What do Design and Applied Arts bachelor's degree graduates earn in California?

Across 29 reporting programs, the median observed earnings figure is $57,740 four years after completion.

How much federal debt is reported for these programs?

The median is $23,000 among the 25 programs reporting federal debt.

Which California colleges report the highest earnings for this degree?

The table compares the same federal field, credential and earnings year. University of Southern California has the highest reported figure among the programs shown.