Design and Applied Arts at Clary Sage College

Clary Sage's design certificate sits at an uncomfortable crossroads: while it matches the Oklahoma median for similar programs, graduates earn barely half the national average of $32,000 for design certificates. That $17,889 first-year salary translates to roughly $8.60 per hour for full-time work—well below a living wage in Tulsa. The modest debt load of $11,000 keeps this from being catastrophic, but the low absolute earnings mean even this manageable debt takes up over 60% of first-year income.

The 19% earnings growth to $21,000 by year four offers some relief, though even this improved figure trails far behind national norms. With 60% of students receiving Pell grants, many here are looking for affordable career entry points, and this program does deliver low debt. However, the harsh reality is that these earnings barely clear poverty-level wages for a single adult, let alone someone supporting a family or trying to build financial security.

For families banking on this certificate as an economic stepping stone, the numbers suggest looking elsewhere. Unless your child has exceptionally strong local connections in Tulsa's design industry or views this purely as a low-cost entry point they'll quickly supplement with additional training, the earnings simply don't support the time and money invested—even when that investment is relatively small.