Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $28,702/yr fall 15% below the $33,862 national median for Design and Applied Arts. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
An earnings multiple of 2.9x means the program roughly breaks even in financial terms over ten years. Non-financial factors need to justify the investment.
AI risk is moderate — 38% task exposure — and the 4% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
At $12,500 in median debt against $28,702 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
At #273 out of 290 programs, Belmont University's financial outcomes for Design and Applied Arts trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $28,702 to $41,939 shows 46% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.