Design and Applied Arts at Nossi College of Art and Design

The numbers here tell a troubling story: Nossi graduates earn $24,497 their first year while carrying $46,500 in debt—nearly double their annual income. That places this program in the bottom 10% both nationally and among Tennessee schools, where the state median is $35,119. To put that gap in perspective, graduates from UT-Chattanooga's design program earn nearly $42,000, while Middle Tennessee State grads pull in $38,807. Nossi students are earning roughly $11,000 less annually than the typical Tennessee design graduate while shouldering almost twice the typical debt load.

The debt burden itself ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of design programs leave students with less debt. With over half of Nossi's students receiving Pell grants, many come from families least equipped to help manage this kind of financial pressure. The math is stark: at these earnings levels, it would take most graduates several years just to pay down the principal, assuming they can afford meaningful payments on an entry-level creative salary.

For families considering this program, the comparison to Tennessee's public universities should be decisive. The state offers multiple design programs—including UT-Knoxville and MTSU—where graduates earn 40-70% more while taking on about half the debt. Unless Nossi provides truly unique connections or specialization unavailable elsewhere, the financial handicap is severe.