Design and Applied Arts at Tidewater Community College
VA · Associate's Degree · CIP 50.04
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Design and Applied Arts degree from Tidewater Community College earn a median salary of $40,497 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $39,509. The degree typically pays for itself in 29.4 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
$28,347
Typical Career
$40,497
Top Performers
$52,778
Estimated break-even: 29.4 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$270
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,375. Most students can comfortably afford about a $270 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 Virginia buys what costs $1.03 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, 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
$39,509
Nominal: $40,497 in Virginia (COL 102.5% of national avg) · 2.4% 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 | $21,210 | $28,458 | $39,655 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $28,347 | $40,497 | $52,778 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $31,732 | $46,532 | $59,517 |
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 $40,497 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in VA, which has a cost-of-living index of 102.5% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $40,497 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250)
= $39,509 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates primarily enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, which account for a significant portion of employment opportunities, with percentages ranging from 18.4% to 24.7%. The estimated break-even point for pursuing this degree compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 29.4 years, suggesting a long-term return on investment. While the initial earnings may appear modest, the gradual increase in salary and the stability of the industries entered may provide a favorable outlook for graduates over time.
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Other Degrees at Tidewater 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.