Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $23,400/yr fall 31% below the $33,862 national median for Design and Applied Arts. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
An earnings multiple of 3.1x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.
Some AI exposure exists in Design and Applied Arts's typical career paths, with 38% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 6% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $26,200 against $23,400/yr in first-year earnings means roughly 1.1 years of salary goes to loan repayment. That's a heavy but not crushing debt load.
Ranked #276 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs, Savannah College of Art and Design falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $43,503 show a 86% jump from the $23,400 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.