Design
Visual & Performing Arts · federal classification: Design and Applied Arts
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $38,039 | $26,025 to $47,577 | 26 | 73% |
| Associate's Degree | $37,280 | $32,319 to $42,113 | 93 | 57% |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,813 | $42,615 to $59,928 | 313 | 91% |
| Master's Degree | $67,898 | $59,426 to $81,460 | 24 | 92% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +2% (2025 to 2035), about 91,000 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Designers | $62,960 | -1.7% | 16,000 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $77,640 | +2% | 12,500 |
| Art Directors | $114,850 | +4.2% | 12,200 |
| Photographers | $44,660 | -0.7% | 10,700 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $104,000 | +6% | 8,300 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $78,620 | +2.2% | 8,000 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a design program, of 1,101 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Fashion Institute of Technology
- Savannah College of Art and Design
- The New School
- Southern New Hampshire University
- Full Sail University
- Pratt Institute-Main
- Wake Technical Community College
- Virginia Commonwealth University
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.