Design and Applied Arts at Seattle Central College

Seattle Central College's Design and Applied Arts program outearns the typical Washington graduate by roughly $4,000 annually—placing it in the 60th percentile statewide. With first-year earnings of $29,775 and manageable debt of $14,085, this program delivers better-than-average outcomes in a state where creative fields often struggle to generate strong early returns.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47 means graduates owe less than half their first-year salary, which is reasonable for an associate degree. Nationally, this program also performs above the median, suggesting Seattle Central's curriculum and local industry connections translate into real earning power. The moderate sample size gives this data reasonable reliability without red flags about statistical noise.

For parents concerned about creative career paths, this represents a practical entry point. Seattle's design industry offers opportunities that many other Washington markets lack, and the relatively low debt load provides breathing room while graduates build their careers. This isn't a path to immediate high earnings, but it beats most in-state alternatives while keeping costs controlled.