Design and Applied Arts at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

U of I's design program graduates start behind but catch up fast—really fast. That $34,670 first-year salary sits just above national averages but trails Illinois State by nearly $5,000. Four years out, though, earnings jump 58% to nearly $55,000, suggesting graduates are building valuable skills that employers increasingly recognize. Among Illinois design programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings, respectable for a large public university program.

The debt picture is a genuine strength here: $18,839 puts graduates in the 95th percentile nationally, meaning this program carries significantly less debt than most design programs across the country. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54, graduates owe roughly half their first-year salary—manageable even during that lower-earning early career phase. Compare that to the $26,880 national median debt, and UIUC graduates are starting their careers with $8,000 less burden.

The trade-off is clear: accept modest starting pay while your portfolio develops, but graduate with minimal debt from a well-regarded institution. For students who can weather a lean first year or two—perhaps through parental support or living arrangements—this program offers a path to solid mid-career earnings without the debt trap that catches many design graduates. The 58% earnings growth suggests the degree's value compounds over time.