Design and Applied Arts at SUNY Polytechnic Institute

The first-year earnings figure here is alarming: $20,252 puts graduates well below the poverty line and ranks this program in just the 10th percentile among New York's 40 design programs. For context, the state median for design graduates is $31,885, and nearby programs like Syracuse and Saint Rose produce graduates earning more than double what we see here. The relatively modest debt load of $15,500—lower than both state and national medians—doesn't change the fundamental problem that these earnings appear insufficient to support independent living, let alone debt repayment.

The critical caveat is sample size: with fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, we could be looking at a statistical anomaly rather than a reliable pattern. Perhaps several graduates pursued unpaid internships or chose low-paying positions for portfolio-building reasons. Without knowing longer-term earning trajectories or whether these numbers reflect the typical graduate experience, it's impossible to assess whether this represents a temporary entry phase or a genuine warning sign.

Given the uncertainty, parents should demand more information before committing. Ask the school directly about typical career outcomes, salary progression beyond year one, and where recent graduates are actually working. The numbers as they stand suggest significant financial risk, but the small sample means they might not tell the whole story.