Design and Applied Arts at Converse University
SC · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 50.04
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Design and Applied Arts degree from Converse University earn a median salary of $42,146 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $44,271. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.7 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$34,840
Typical Career
$42,146
Top Performers
$51,223
Estimated break-even: 11.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$281
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,512. Most students can comfortably afford about a $281 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in South Carolina buys what costs $0.95 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$44,271
Nominal: $42,146 in South Carolina (COL 95.2% of national avg) · 5% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $28,854 | $42,201 | $52,495 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $34,840 | $42,146 | $51,223 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $45,075 | $67,042 | $84,400 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $42,146 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SC, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,146 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520)
= $44,271 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates primarily enter industries such as Educational Services (27.8%), Health Care & Social Assistance (14.9%), and Retail Trade (9.4%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 11.7 years, suggesting that while the initial financial return may be modest, the long-term benefits can be substantial. Overall, the ROI for pursuing a degree in Design and Applied Arts at Converse University appears favorable, particularly in the context of career growth and industry demand.
AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.
Compare with Another School
See how the Design and Applied Arts degree at Converse University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.
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