Design and Applied Arts at Norwalk Community College
CT · Associate's Degree · CIP 50.04
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Design and Applied Arts degree from Norwalk Community College earn a median salary of $49,513 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $42,943. The degree typically pays for itself in 12.3 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
$36,215
Typical Career
$49,513
Top Performers
$60,657
Estimated break-even: 12.3 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$330
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,126. Most students can comfortably afford about a $330 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.3x 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, Professional, Scientific & Technical 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
$42,943
Nominal: $49,513 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 | $23,290 | $32,720 | $42,490 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $36,215 | $49,513 | $60,657 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $45,075 | $61,827 | $74,301 |
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 $49,513 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)
= $49,513 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1530)
= $42,943 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries for graduates are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with 48.0%, 31.7%, and 20.1% of graduates entering this sector at different stages of their careers. This concentration suggests a strong alignment between the program and the demands of the job market. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 12.3 years, indicating that while there is a substantial initial investment in education, the long-term return on investment appears favorable, especially given the potential for career advancement in a growing industry.
Compare with Another School
See how the Design and Applied Arts degree at Norwalk Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Other Degrees at Norwalk 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.