Design and Applied Arts at Rasmussen University-Florida

The numbers here demand careful interpretation: while first-year earnings of $32,482 lag behind Florida's median for design programs by about $1,700, the real concern is the debt load. At $35,438, graduates carry roughly $8,500 more debt than typical Florida design students, ranking this program in the 5th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of comparable programs saddle students with less debt. For a field where first-year earnings rarely break $35,000 anywhere, owing more than you'll earn creates immediate financial pressure.

However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could swing considerably with just a few different outcomes. What we can say: this program serves over half Pell-eligible students but hasn't achieved the debt outcomes you'd hope for at that price point. Compare this to Florida State ($49,144 median earnings) or even Seminole State College ($39,221), where design graduates start $7,000-$17,000 ahead annually with typically lower debt burdens.

If your child is set on design at Rasmussen-Florida, treat this as a yellow flag rather than a red light—but insist on understanding the full cost of attendance and whether financial aid will meaningfully reduce that debt burden. For many families, exploring public alternatives or programs with stronger employment pipelines would offer better financial positioning in a competitive creative field.