Design and Applied Arts

Bachelor's degree · California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA

CIP 50.04

$32,240Median earnings 1 year after graduating
$53,871Median earnings 4 years after
$56,723Median earnings 5 years after
$15,750Median federal debt
71Graduates per year

How this program compares

Graduates of the bachelor's degree program in Design and Applied Arts at California State University-Sacramento earn a median of $32,240 one year after completing the program. Nationally, bachelor's degree graduates in this field earn a median of $51,490 four years after graduating (middle half: $33,006–$70,612). Median debt is $15,750, about 49% of first-year earnings – a manageable level by common guidelines.

Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's degree) at other California schools

CollegeEarnings (1 yr)Median debt
University of Southern California
Los Angeles
$64,846$18,000
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles
$57,615$19,000
Interior Designers Institute
Newport Beach
$51,188$26,057
Art Center College of Design
Pasadena
$47,053$31,000
Chapman University
Orange
$46,519$23,823
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach
$37,395$16,500
Newschool of Architecture and Design
San Diego
$37,132$32,000
California State University-Northridge
Northridge
$36,736—
San Francisco State University
San Francisco
$34,845$15,000
Design Institute of San Diego
San Diego
$34,589$44,191
University of California-Davis
Davis
$32,816$14,924
Woodbury University
Burbank
$32,175$27,000
University of San Francisco
San Francisco
$32,070$27,000
San Diego State University
San Diego
$31,459$13,832
Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles
$31,172$27,000

Highest-paying Design and Applied Arts programs nationwide →

Other programs at California State University-Sacramento

Frequently asked questions

How much do Design and Applied Arts graduates from California State University-Sacramento make?

The median salary is $32,240 one year after graduation and $56,723 after five years.

How much student debt do graduates have?

Graduates who borrowed federal loans owe a median of $15,750.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release (Field of Study data). Earnings are for graduates who received federal financial aid.