Design and Applied Arts at Rasmussen University-Florida

Rasmussen's Design and Applied Arts associate program charges roughly twice the national typical debt for this credential—$28,722 versus a $14,454 median—but graduates earn about $32,246, placing them in the 75th percentile nationally and solidly above Florida's state median of $30,906. That debt load ranks in just the 5th percentile (meaning 95% of comparable programs nationally carry less debt), making this one of the more expensive paths to an associate degree in design.

The earnings premium over typical Florida programs isn't dramatic—graduates here make about $1,300 more than the state median, and lag behind more affordable public options like Palm Beach State ($36,768) and Seminole State ($31,347). You're essentially paying private school prices for middle-of-the-pack Florida outcomes. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.89, first-year graduates face manageable but substantial loan payments relative to their starting salaries—roughly equivalent to owing nearly a full year's income.

For families who can afford it or qualify for substantial aid (55% of students here receive Pell grants), this program delivers competitive employment outcomes in Florida's design market. But if your child can access one of Florida's public colleges offering this degree, they'll likely achieve similar or better earnings with half the debt burden.