Design and Applied Arts at Rasmussen University-Kansas

This program raises immediate red flags: graduates earn about $3,000 less than the Kansas median for design degrees and carry 36% more debt than typical Kansas graduates in the field. That debt burden ranks in the worst 5% nationally—meaning 95% of design programs nationwide leave students with less debt. With first-year earnings of $32,482 barely covering living expenses, the $35,438 debt burden creates a genuinely challenging financial picture.

The comparison to other Kansas options is stark. Kansas State graduates in this field earn $43,992—35% more than Rasmussen grads. Even Wichita State, at $33,590, edges ahead while likely costing less for in-state students. For a family considering design programs in Kansas, Rasmussen appears to be the most expensive path to the lowest earnings.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift, but that uncertainty cuts both ways—it's not a reason to dismiss the warning signs. With 57% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are stretching financially for an education that leaves them behind Kansas peers. Unless this program offers something truly unique that public universities can't match, the combination of below-average earnings and top-tier debt makes it difficult to recommend over established state options.