Design and Applied Arts programs in Colorado
13 schools in Colorado teach this, at certificate or associate level. 2 of them report what graduates earn two years out; the highest is $37,208 at Arapahoe Community College.
What this work pays in Colorado
Graphic Designers in Colorado earn a median of $66,330 a year across 4,200 jobs. That is what the occupation pays everyone in it — not what graduates of any one program below earned.
| Also leads to | Median | Jobs in Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $95,880 | 3,250 |
| Interior Designers | $78,390 | 2,300 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $70,060 | 1,950 |
| Photographers | $47,070 | 1,140 |
| Art Directors | $99,990 | 720 |
Occupation wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.
Schools
| School | Credential | Median debt | Graduate earnings, 2 yrs | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arapahoe Community College Littleton | Associate's degree | $15,125 | $37,208 (33 grads) | 48 |
| Front Range Community College Westminster | Associate's degree | — | $25,194 (13 grads) | 10 |
| Arapahoe Community College Littleton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 13 |
| Colorado Mountain College Glenwood Springs | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
| Colorado Mountain College Glenwood Springs | Associate's degree | — | not published | 5 |
| Community College of Denver Denver | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 12 |
| Community College of Denver Denver | Associate's degree | — | not published | 14 |
| Front Range Community College Westminster | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 22 |
| Pickens Technical College Aurora | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 13 |
| Pikes Peak State College Colorado Springs | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3 |
| Pikes Peak State College Colorado Springs | Associate's degree | — | not published | 12 |
| Red Rocks Community College Lakewood | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 4 |
| Red Rocks Community College Lakewood | Associate's degree | — | not published | 14 |
A dash under earnings or debt means the U.S. Department of Education has not published a figure for that program — it withholds any median computed from too few graduates, which covers about four of every five programs. It never means zero, and it says nothing about whether the program is any good. Where a figure is shown, the number of graduates behind it is shown with it.
Email me when these figures change
The U.S. Department of Education publishes new cost, debt and earnings figures once a year, and every number on this page changes at once. One email when that happens for Design and Applied Arts — nothing else, and nothing in between.
Program and outcome figures: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10.