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Design and Applied Arts at Marist College

Poughkeepsie, NY · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
27 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
28
Optimistic
27
Base Case
36
Pessimistic
Earnings $28,336/yr (-16% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 3.8x earnings multiple
Ranked #202 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Design and Applied Arts graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $729K $710K $644K
Earnings Multiple 4.0x 3.8x 3.5x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 28 27 36

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$184,560
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$158,640
14% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$26,644
11.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$65,701
132% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $28,336 place Marist College below the $33,862 national median for Design and Applied Arts — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.

An earnings multiple of 3.8x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.

Some AI exposure exists in Design and Applied Arts's typical career paths, with 38% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 12% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $26,644 represents roughly 11 months of the $28,336 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #202 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs, Marist College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $65,701 show a 132% jump from the $28,336 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About Marist College

A 65% admission rate makes Marist College accessible to a wide range of qualified students, with a mid-sized student body of 5,039 in Poughkeepsie, NY.

See all programs and financial aid at Marist College →

Top Career Paths

Art directors $111,040/yr
Architecture teachers, postsecondary $101,480/yr
Special effects artists and animators $99,800/yr
View all 14 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 290 schools offering Design and Applied Arts →

Design and Applied Arts at Other Schools

Carnegie Mellon University ($66,274) University of Southern California ($64,846) University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($63,449) University of California-Los Angeles ($57,615) Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus ($52,694) University of Cincinnati-Main Campus ($52,526) Utah State University ($52,431) Interior Designers Institute ($51,188)

Other Majors at Marist College

Computer and Information Sciences, General ($77,315) Accounting and Related Services ($71,436) Computer Science ($69,737) Economics ($55,614) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($53,766) Psychology, Other ($47,348) Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations ($47,137) Political Science and Government ($43,238)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Design and Applied Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Design and Applied Arts at Marist College?
A score of 27/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Design and Applied Arts. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Design and Applied Arts careers?
With 38% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $643,752 in decade earnings vs $729,322 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Design and Applied Arts from Marist College?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →