Design and Applied Arts at Grand View University

That $27,000 first-year salary is genuinely concerning—it places Grand View's design program in the bottom quartile both nationally and among Iowa schools. While the 92% jump to $51,741 by year four looks impressive on paper, the starting point is so low that graduates are essentially catching up to where other programs begin. For context, both Iowa State and University of Northern Iowa graduates start earning over $37,000, giving them a significant head start in building financial stability and paying down debt.

The debt load of $24,574 is slightly below average, which helps, but the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.91 means graduates are carrying nearly a full year's salary in student loans right out of the gate. That's a difficult position when you're earning barely above minimum wage full-time work. The sample size here is small (under 30 graduates), so individual outcomes vary widely, but the pattern suggests this program struggles to prepare students for well-compensated entry-level design work.

If your child is set on studying design in Iowa, look hard at the University of Northern Iowa or Iowa State, where graduates earn 40% more immediately and have better long-term trajectories. Grand View's open admissions and high Pell grant percentage show they serve students who may have fewer options, but that mission doesn't change the financial math for your family.