Graphic Communications at Fashion Institute of Technology
NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 10.03
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Graphic Communications degree from Fashion Institute of Technology earn a median salary of $58,114 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $44,026. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.8 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
$35,666
Typical Career
$58,114
Top Performers
$74,301
Estimated break-even: 8.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$387
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,843. Most students can comfortably afford about a $387 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.
Where Bachelor'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
$44,026
Nominal: $58,114 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% lower 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 | $23,224 | $34,630 | $50,601 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $35,666 | $58,114 | $74,301 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $50,083 | $81,295 | $118,541 |
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 $58,114 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $58,114 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200)
= $44,026 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates include Wholesale Trade (18.8%), Retail Trade (18.7%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (14.4%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 8.8 years compared to a high-school-only path, students should weigh the long-term benefits against the initial investment in education. Overall, while the program offers a solid return on investment in terms of earnings growth, the high cost of living in New York may affect the perceived financial advantage for graduates.
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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.