Design and Applied Arts at The University of Texas at Austin

UT Austin's Design and Applied Arts program lands students in the 95th percentile nationally but only the 60th percentile within Texas—and that gap tells an important story. While graduates here earn well above the national median of $33,563, top programs like University of Houston actually place slightly higher at first ($47,461). What distinguishes UT Austin is the trajectory: earnings jump 72% by year four, reaching $76,309, suggesting the program's reputation and network compound over time rather than providing immediate payoff.

The $22,500 debt load sits below both state and national medians, yielding a manageable 0.51 debt-to-earnings ratio. For a selective institution (29% acceptance rate), this represents solid financial positioning—you're not paying premium private school debt for public school outcomes. The moderate sample size means individual career paths vary, but the pattern is clear: graduates start competitive and accelerate meaningfully.

For parents, this is a program where UT Austin's brand matters more after a few years in the field than right out of the gate. If your student can handle the academic rigor (1380 average SAT) and you're comfortable with earnings building rather than peaking early, the combination of modest debt and strong mid-career growth makes this a reasonable investment—just don't expect it to immediately outpace every Texas alternative.