Apparel and Textiles at University of Akron Main Campus

This program's small cohort size—fewer than 30 graduates—makes these numbers somewhat uncertain, but the pattern is troubling enough to warrant serious consideration. At $29,177 first-year earnings, graduates are earning roughly $10,000 less than the Ohio median for apparel programs and about $8,000 below the national benchmark. That's not a small gap—it represents nearly 25% less income than peers at other Ohio schools earn.

The debt load compounds the problem. While $29,250 isn't extreme by national standards, it creates a 1.00 debt-to-earnings ratio when paired with such low starting pay. Other Ohio schools achieve the state's typical first-year salary of nearly $40,000 with similar debt levels, giving their graduates far more financial breathing room. Ohio State, for instance, delivers $41,827 in starting earnings—about $12,000 more annually than Akron for the same career path.

For a family considering this program, the question is whether Akron offers unique advantages—perhaps location, specific faculty expertise, or industry connections—that justify accepting significantly lower earnings than nearby alternatives. The small sample means outcomes could improve with a larger cohort, but right now the data suggests exploring other Ohio programs first, particularly Ohio State or the regional Ohio University campuses that consistently hit that $40,000 benchmark.