COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Design and Applied Arts bachelor's degree at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · 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 notably above similar programs.
$20,723 above the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 35.7% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $23,033 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- −3% · 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+$92,130
$8,000Annual price+$60,130
$16,000Annual price+$28,130
$24,000Current college-wide context−$3,870
$25,000Current college-wide context−$7,870
$32,000Annual price−$35,870
$40,000Annual price−$67,870
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
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.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$35,969Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$72,213$36,244 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 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$24,953
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$25,802
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$72,213
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$274/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.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$24,953Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$36,951Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE54.8%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE86.2%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.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
4.6% 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$6,018
Estimated loan payment$274
55borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$72,213 vs. $51,490
$20,723 above the national median for the same field and credential.
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$74,870 median wageVA estimate · 2,840 jobs · 25-1121$52,900–$96,300 middle 50% of VA wages+2.2% projected U.S. growth · 8,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeGraphic Designers$72,310 median wageVA estimate · 4,740 jobs · 27-1024$52,470–$95,420 middle 50% of VA wages-1.7% projected U.S. growth · 16,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeArtists and Related Workers, All Other$111,530 median wageVA estimate · 180 jobs · 27-1019$85,030–$132,080 middle 50% of VA wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialCommercial and Industrial Designers$82,230 median wageVA estimate · 1,480 jobs · 27-1021$63,750–$96,240 middle 50% of VA wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 2,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeDesigners, All Other$60,000 median wageVA estimate · 50 jobs · 27-1029$48,990–$96,600 middle 50% of VA wages+1.2% projected U.S. growth · 2,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSpecial Effects Artists and Animators$81,510 median wageVA estimate · 380 jobs · 27-1014$66,920–$110,180 middle 50% of VA wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 4,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeWeb and Digital Interface Designers$77,140 median wageVA estimate · 1,990 jobs · 15-1255$54,790–$102,370 middle 50% of VA wages+6.0% projected U.S. growth · 8,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSet and Exhibit Designers$58,650 median wageVA estimate · 120 jobs · 27-1027$46,870–$83,200 middle 50% of VA wages+1.4% projected U.S. growth · 2,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeArchitecture Teachers, Postsecondary$105,940 median wageVA estimate · 230 jobs · 25-1031$82,650–$131,360 middle 50% of VA wages+2.6% projected U.S. growth · 700 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeArt Directors$101,150 median wageVA estimate · 670 jobs · 27-1011$83,480–$125,120 middle 50% of VA wages+4.2% projected U.S. growth · 12,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFashion Designers$94,120 median wageVA estimate · 100 jobs · 27-1022$60,790–$102,790 middle 50% of VA wages+0.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePostsecondary Teachers, All Other$84,060 median wageVA estimate · 1,580 jobs · 25-1199$61,350–$133,660 middle 50% of VA wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 12,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS
Where graduates work five years later
The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Educational Services
Retail Trade
Manufacturing
Information
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.
Longwood University
$177 less debt · $5,887 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $46,040
- Debt
- $25,625
- Annual net price
- $19,066
Radford University
$10,375 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $55,856
- Debt
- $27,000
- Annual net price
- $14,578
Virginia Commonwealth University
$1,520 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $53,575
- Debt
- $25,937
- Annual net price
- $23,433
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
$16,980 higher earnings · $13,552 less debt · $10,862 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $89,193
- Debt
- $12,250
- Annual net price
- $14,091
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
58 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
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.
Calculate my payoff →