Design and Applied Arts at Northwest College of Art & Design

Starting at $27,694 puts Northwest College of Art & Design's graduates $11,500 below Washington's median for design programs—landing in just the 25th percentile statewide. That's concerning given that the state's public universities (even regional ones like Western Washington) are producing graduates who earn 10-40% more right out of the gate, often with similar or lower debt loads.

The $30,750 debt burden itself isn't excessive by national standards, but paired with these below-average earnings, it creates a tight first-year financial picture. When University of Washington design graduates are earning more than double this program's median, and even community college transfer students from Bellevue are pulling $45,000+, the value gap becomes harder to justify. Over half of Northwest College's students receive Pell grants, suggesting many families here are betting limited resources on a program that's underperforming its local competition.

The caveat: these figures come from a small sample, so they could shift year to year. But even accounting for statistical noise, the consistent pattern of below-median outcomes both statewide and nationally suggests families should seriously weigh whether this private art college offers enough specialized advantage to offset its weaker earnings track record. Washington's public universities appear to deliver better ROI for design students.