Design and Applied Arts at Oklahoma Christian University

Oklahoma Christian's Design and Applied Arts program raises yellow flags for in-state students. While graduates here earn $31,466 in their first year—slightly below the national median—they trail significantly behind other Oklahoma programs, landing in just the 25th percentile statewide. The University of Central Oklahoma's design graduates, for instance, start at $42,619, nearly $11,000 more annually.

The program does show strong earnings momentum, with median salaries jumping 46% to nearly $46,000 by year four. That growth trajectory suggests the degree eventually delivers value, though the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.86 means graduates carry nearly a year's salary in loans. The $27,000 debt load itself matches both state and national medians, so the concern isn't excessive borrowing—it's the lower starting point for repayment.

An important caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary widely from these medians. For families committed to Oklahoma Christian for non-financial reasons (the institution's 97% acceptance rate suggests broad accessibility), this program won't saddle students with crushing debt. But purely as a financial investment within Oklahoma, stronger-performing design programs exist at comparable in-state tuition costs. Students drawn to design should carefully compare career outcomes across Oklahoma's public universities before committing.