Design and Applied Arts at College Of DuPage
IL · Associate's Degree · CIP 50.04
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Design and Applied Arts degree from College Of DuPage earn a median salary of $45,194 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $49,231. The degree typically pays for itself in 14.4 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$34,473
Typical Career
$45,194
Top Performers
$62,236
Estimated break-even: 14.4 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$301
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,766. Most students can comfortably afford about a $301 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$49,231
Nominal: $45,194 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $25,147 | $35,233 | $50,881 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $34,473 | $45,194 | $62,236 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $41,288 | $57,105 | $74,301 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $45,194 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $45,194 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180)
= $49,231 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, with 37.4% in the first year, followed by 28.4% and 27.8% in subsequent years. This concentration suggests a strong demand for design skills within these industries. The estimated break-even point compared to a high school-only path is approximately 12.2 years, indicating that while the return on investment may take over a decade, the long-term earnings potential and industry relevance could justify the educational commitment.
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Other Degrees at College Of DuPage
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.