How much do Design and Applied Arts bachelor's degree graduates from Central Michigan University earn?

The reported median is $54,254 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $28,500.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 5% above the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Design and Applied Arts bachelor's degree at Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$2,764 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 52.5% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −63% · Negative payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price−$87,460

$8,000Annual price−$119,460

$16,000Annual price−$151,460

$18,000Current college-wide context−$159,460

$24,000Annual price−$183,460

$32,000Annual price−$215,460

$40,000Annual price−$247,460

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+52%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$36,917 → $56,215

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

38Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

51Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

59Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

$34,650Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

276Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

34Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

153Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

193Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

6.3%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 15 non-completers

53Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$32,989Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$54,254$21,265 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 31 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$17,597

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$28,500

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$54,254

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$302/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$17,597Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$30,681Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE89.8%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE58.7%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$36,917Year 1

$54,254Year 4

$56,215Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

6.7% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,521

Estimated loan payment$302

59borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$54,254 vs. $51,490

$2,764 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$82,990 median wageMI estimate · 2,410 jobs · 25-1121$62,100–$107,610 middle 50% of MI wages+2.2% projected U.S. growth · 8,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeGraphic Designers$57,350 median wageMI estimate · 6,070 jobs · 27-1024$46,370–$70,400 middle 50% of MI wages-1.7% projected U.S. growth · 16,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCommercial and Industrial Designers$102,160 median wageMI estimate · 2,930 jobs · 27-1021$69,300–$124,960 middle 50% of MI wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 2,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeDesigners, All Other$64,950 median wageU.S. estimate · 150 jobs · 27-1029+1.2% projected U.S. growth · 2,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeArtists and Related Workers, All Other$63,830 median wageMI estimate · 230 jobs · 27-1019$48,230–$87,170 middle 50% of MI wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialSpecial Effects Artists and Animators$86,630 median wageMI estimate · 230 jobs · 27-1014$68,590–$121,830 middle 50% of MI wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 4,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeWeb and Digital Interface Designers$81,010 median wageMI estimate · 1,750 jobs · 15-1255$58,000–$113,120 middle 50% of MI wages+6.0% projected U.S. growth · 8,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSet and Exhibit Designers$50,910 median wageMI estimate · 140 jobs · 27-1027$38,150–$63,610 middle 50% of MI wages+1.4% projected U.S. growth · 2,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeArchitecture Teachers, Postsecondary$100,700 median wageMI estimate · 190 jobs · 25-1031$75,800–$106,750 middle 50% of MI wages+2.6% projected U.S. growth · 700 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeArt Directors$86,660 median wageMI estimate · 1,080 jobs · 27-1011$65,000–$121,620 middle 50% of MI wages+4.2% projected U.S. growth · 12,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePostsecondary Teachers, All Other$70,550 median wageMI estimate · 2,660 jobs · 25-1199$61,500–$85,040 middle 50% of MI wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 12,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeFashion Designers$63,430 median wageMI estimate · 40 jobs · 27-1022$53,220–$84,160 middle 50% of MI wages+0.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree

Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Kalamazoo, MI

Western Michigan University

$4,380 higher earnings · $1,500 less debt · $2,324 lower annual net price

Earnings: $58,634
Debt: $27,000
Annual net price: $15,273

View outcomes →

Detroit, MI

College for Creative Studies

$6,968 higher earnings · $2,500 less debt

Earnings: $61,222
Debt: $26,000
Annual net price: $34,617

View outcomes →

Big Rapids, MI

Ferris State University

$1,500 less debt · $8,973 lower annual net price

Earnings: $50,658
Debt: $27,000
Annual net price: $8,624

View outcomes →

Rochester Hills, MI

Oakland University

$546 less debt · $8,477 lower annual net price

Earnings: $47,432
Debt: $27,954
Annual net price: $9,120

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

51 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

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