Interior Architecture at University of Maryland-College Park

Interior Architecture programs nationally produce modest first-year earnings around $45,000, and University of Maryland-College Park's program likely follows this pattern. With estimated debt of $22,834—close to the national median for this field—graduates would face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51, meaning they'd owe roughly half their first-year salary. That's manageable compared to many design fields, though it doesn't suggest strong early earning power given UMD's competitive profile (45% admission rate, 1463 average SAT).

The challenge is that this program exists in a gray zone: not enough graduates to generate school-specific outcomes data, yet the national benchmarks show minimal variation between typical and top-performing programs ($45K versus $46K at the 75th percentile). This suggests Interior Architecture may have a relatively fixed earning ceiling early on, regardless of where you study it. For a flagship state university with UMD's academic standards, families might reasonably expect stronger initial returns.

Given the limited data and flat earnings landscape, this comes down to career commitment. If your child is certain about Interior Architecture and values UMD's broader resources, the debt load is workable—but understand you're investing in a field where the first-year payoff is modest across the board. Consider whether internships or dual credentials could enhance early earning potential.