BACHELOR'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 0405

Interior Architecture: is this bachelor's degree worth it?

National picture across 17 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$97,771 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

16.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
−37%Modeled 10-year ROI
$61,421Observed earnings · year 4
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$61,421Median reported earnings · year 4
$58,641Average reported earnings · year 5
$23,250Median federal debt
49thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
17Reporting programs
17With year-4 earnings
COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$61,421
Federal debt
$23,250
Reporting programs
17
17 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$66,697
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
2
2 report earnings →
COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median
25th percentile$58,518National median$61,42175th percentile$64,751
17 programs report year‑4 earnings.
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Auburn University$69,6572Thomas Jefferson University$68,7533Syracuse University$67,2274The University of Tennessee-Knoxville$65,1445Texas Tech University$64,7516University of North Texas$64,7167University of Nebraska-Lincoln$62,2018Colorado State University-Fort Collins$61,8949Mississippi State University$61,42110California State University, Sacramento$61,410

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Architectural and Engineering ManagersSOC 11-9041 · 1 crosswalk linksArchitecture Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1031 · 1 crosswalk linksInterior DesignersSOC 27-1025 · 1 crosswalk links
BEST COLLEGES FOR INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.

#CollegeLocationEarnings, year 4Federal debt10-year ROIVerdict
1Auburn UniversityBachelor's DegreeAuburn, AL$69,657Not available-11%Negative payoff
2Thomas Jefferson UniversityBachelor's DegreePhiladelphia, PA$68,753$27,000-20%Negative payoff
3Syracuse UniversityBachelor's DegreeSyracuse, NY$67,227Not available-34%Negative payoff
4The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleBachelor's DegreeKnoxville, TN$65,144$27,000-21%Negative payoff
5Texas Tech UniversityBachelor's DegreeLubbock, TX$64,751$21,950-23%Negative payoff
6University of North TexasBachelor's DegreeDenton, TX$64,716$18,250-19%Negative payoff
7University of Nebraska-LincolnBachelor's DegreeLincoln, NE$62,201$26,876-31%Negative payoff
8Colorado State University-Fort CollinsBachelor's DegreeFort Collins, CO$61,894$22,417-36%Negative payoff
9Mississippi State UniversityBachelor's DegreeMississippi State, MS$61,421$22,254-34%Negative payoff
10California State University, SacramentoBachelor's DegreeSacramento, CA$61,410$16,500-25%Negative payoff
11The University of Texas at San AntonioBachelor's DegreeSan Antonio, TX$61,356$30,525-27%Negative payoff
12Stephen F Austin State UniversityBachelor's DegreeNacogdoches, TX$59,047$23,250-41%Negative payoff
13Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBachelor's DegreeBaton Rouge, LA$58,518$17,750-47%Negative payoff
14Bowling Green State University-Main CampusBachelor's DegreeBowling Green, OH$53,592$27,000-69%Negative payoff
15University of New HavenBachelor's DegreeWest Haven, CT$52,854Not available-75%Negative payoff
16Indiana State UniversityBachelor's DegreeTerre Haute, IN$52,693$27,000-66%Negative payoff
17Marywood UniversityBachelor's DegreeScranton, PA$50,266Not available-81%Negative payoff

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.