CollegeCostWise

Bachelor's · San Francisco, California

Is Design and Applied Arts at California College of the Arts worth it?

Medium confidence Medium confidence: 40–99 graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back slowly: graduates typically recover the cost in about 10.2 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating
$50,093
Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating
$63,629
Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation
$24,812
NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families
$174k (likely $174k – $191k)
AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4
$23k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in CA
2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback
10.2 years (likely 8.2–13.2)
Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return
−$163k (likely −$240k – −$96k)
Today's dollars
20-year net return
$130k (likely −$24k – $302k)
Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide)
64%
Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in
not reported / ≤ 10%
NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare Design and Applied Arts at other schools

🎨 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward art, design & performance majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

  • AP 2-D Art and Design
  • AP Drawing
  • AP Art History
  • AP Music Theory

IB Higher Level

  • Visual Arts HL
  • Music HL or Theatre HL or Film HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at California College of the Arts

Design and Applied Arts at other schools in California