Design and Applied Arts at The King's University

A design degree typically launches careers where $38,500—the median for Texas programs—represents a challenging starting point, and The King's University appears to fall right at this threshold based on comparable programs. With estimated debt of $26,250, graduates would face monthly payments around $290, consuming roughly 9% of take-home pay. That's manageable on paper, but it assumes steady employment in a field known for freelance work and portfolio building.

The reality is that design careers often start slower than the first-year figures suggest. While peer programs in Texas show graduates at UT Austin and University of Houston earning $44,500 to $47,500—suggesting the field can support degree-level investment—there's considerable range in outcomes. The King's University's open admission and minimal Pell Grant population (just 8% of students) paint a picture of a small, tuition-dependent institution serving relatively advantaged students, but without actual graduate outcomes, you're essentially betting on whether their preparation matches what employers value.

For families weighing this investment, the question isn't whether design degrees can work—they clearly can at some Texas schools—but whether this particular program justifies the cost when outcomes remain unknown. If your child has portfolio work that's already attracting interest or a specific design niche in mind, the degree might serve as credential backing. Without that clarity, borrowing $26,000 for estimated earnings at the state median suggests looking harder at programs with proven track records.