Design and Applied Arts at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Can a design degree from a mid-tier public university outperform 86% of similar programs nationally? UTC's numbers suggest it might, though you'll want to account for the small sample size—fewer than 30 recent graduates means these figures could shift significantly year to year.

At $41,968 in first-year earnings, UTC design graduates earn substantially more than the national median of $33,563 and edge ahead of Tennessee's state median by nearly $7,000. They're also outearning alumni from UT-Knoxville's design program, which typically draws stronger incoming students. The $25,000 median debt sits slightly below both state and national averages, creating a manageable 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates should be able to handle their loans on a typical design salary. Within Tennessee, this program ranks solidly in the middle of the pack, behind Middle Tennessee State but ahead of established programs at Belmont and East Tennessee State.

The caveat matters here: small cohorts can produce volatile outcomes. One exceptional graduate landing a high-paying job, or a few struggling to find work, can dramatically skew the median. But if these numbers hold up over time, UTC offers something compelling—a design program at a reasonable price point that's connecting graduates to better-than-average opportunities, likely benefiting from Chattanooga's growing creative sector. For families seeking value in design education, this looks like a viable in-state option.