Design and Applied Arts at Kilgore College
TX · Associate's Degree · CIP 50.04
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Design and Applied Arts degree from Kilgore College earn a median salary of $37,592 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $40,817. The degree typically pays for itself in 16.8 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
$26,921
Typical Career
$37,592
Top Performers
$47,368
Estimated break-even: 16.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$251
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,133. Most students can comfortably afford about a $251 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Manufacturing.
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
$40,817
Nominal: $37,592 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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 | $20,060 | $26,618 | $35,802 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $26,921 | $37,592 | $47,368 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $43,722 | $58,363 | $84,962 |
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 $37,592 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $37,592 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210)
= $40,817 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 include Health Care & Social Assistance, with 46.8% and 37.0% of graduates employed in this sector, followed by Public Administration at 30.0%. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 24.5 years, indicating a long-term return on investment. Overall, while the earnings may initially appear modest, the trajectory and industry placement suggest a viable career path for those pursuing this field.
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Other Degrees at Kilgore 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.