Design and Applied Arts at Housatonic Community College
CT · Associate's Degree · CIP 50.04
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Design and Applied Arts degree from Housatonic Community College earn a median salary of $47,119 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $40,866. The degree typically pays for itself in 18.8 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$36,032
Typical Career
$47,119
Top Performers
$63,411
Estimated break-even: 18.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$314
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,927. Most students can comfortably afford about a $314 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Connecticut buys what costs $1.15 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Educational Services.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$40,866
Nominal: $47,119 in Connecticut (COL 115.3% of national avg) · 13.3% lower 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 | $22,124 | $32,455 | $43,384 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $36,032 | $47,119 | $63,411 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $36,805 | $50,129 | $72,585 |
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 $47,119 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CT, which has a cost-of-living index of 115.3% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $47,119 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1530)
= $40,866 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, accounting for 44.7% of employment, with similar figures for subsequent years. This concentration suggests a strong demand for design skills within these sectors. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 18.8 years, indicating a longer-term investment in education is necessary to realize a return on investment. Overall, while the program offers a pathway into stable industries, prospective students should weigh the time and financial commitment against potential earnings and living costs.
Compare with Another School
See how the Design and Applied Arts degree at Housatonic Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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Other Degrees at Housatonic Community College
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.