Design and Applied Arts at Brigham Young University

BYU's Design and Applied Arts program starts with below-average earnings but tells an unusually positive story through the lens of debt. That $13,000 median debt is remarkably low—5th percentile nationally, where most design graduates carry double that burden. For context, the typical Utah design graduate owes $15,200, and nationally it's $26,880. This advantage fundamentally changes the financial equation for BYU graduates, even though first-year earnings of $33,915 trail the state median by about $3,300.

The program's real strength emerges over time. Earnings jump 36% to $46,179 by year four, pulling ahead of the national baseline and narrowing the gap with higher-earning Utah programs. Combined with minimal debt, graduates enter the workforce without the financial constraints that limit many designers' early career choices—they can take portfolio-building opportunities or lower-paying creative roles without defaulting on loans. That freedom has tangible value in creative fields where experience often matters more than initial salary.

Bottom line: If your child is committed to design, BYU offers a financially secure path into the field. They'll earn less than counterparts at Utah State initially, but the low debt load provides breathing room that matters enormously in the notoriously underpaid early years of creative careers.