Design and Applied Arts at International Business College-Indianapolis

International Business College's Design and Applied Arts associate's degree starts above both state and national averages—placing in the 60th percentile among Indiana programs—but that initial advantage evaporates quickly. Within four years, earnings drop 12% to $26,589, falling below where graduates started and trailing the $28,443 state median. This isn't a plateau; it's a reversal that suggests either limited career progression in entry-level design roles or graduates moving into less specialized work over time.

The debt load offers some relief to this troubling earnings pattern. At $10,143, it's notably lower than both the state median ($11,426) and national median ($14,454) for design programs. This keeps the program from being a financial trap—graduates can realistically pay down their debt even as earnings decline. Still, half the students qualify for Pell grants, meaning many families here have limited financial cushion to weather those first few years of backward mobility.

For families considering this program, the key question is whether your student has a specific plan for building skills and advancing beyond that initial $30,000 role. The earnings trajectory suggests that simply completing the degree doesn't create momentum on its own. If your child has identified mentors, a portfolio strategy, or a clear path to more specialized work, this affordable credential could be a reasonable starting point. Without that plan, they risk spending their early twenties watching their income shrink rather than grow.