Design and Applied Arts at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Cal Poly Pomona's Design and Applied Arts program starts slow but gains momentum—first-year graduates earn just over $30,000, but by year four that figure jumps 33% to $40,000. That trajectory matters because the initial earnings fall below both California's median ($31,764) and the national average ($33,563) for this degree. Among California's 55 design programs, this one ranks in the 40th percentile, meaning it underperforms more than half of in-state alternatives.

The debt picture provides some relief: at $21,160, graduates carry roughly $3,000 less than the California median and significantly less than the national benchmark. Still, that 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio in year one means graduates face nearly nine months of their annual salary in student loans—a manageable burden if the upward earnings trend continues, but tight in those early years. The program's accessibility (74% admission rate, 46% Pell grant recipients) helps explain the lower debt loads compared to elite California programs like USC or UCLA, where design graduates earn $25,000-35,000 more annually.

For cost-conscious families, this program won't saddle your child with crushing debt, and the earnings growth suggests patience pays off. But if your student can access higher-ranked California design schools—and many have similar or only moderately higher debt—the earnings gap might justify the extra investment.