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Design and Applied Arts at Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $39,450/yr (17% vs median)

AI Risk High (38% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)

ROI 14.6x earnings multiple (5.3x out-of-state)

Ranked #24 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs Top 10%

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	$641K	$628K	$578K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	14.9x	14.6x	13.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.4x	5.3x	4.9x
Probability of Field Employment	63%	57%	46%
DegreeOutlook Score	54	53	57

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$43,120

Out-of-state: $118,012 (5.3x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$57,176

-33% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$28,500

8.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$64,448

63% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $39,450 at Metropolitan State University of Denver come in 17% above the national median of $33,862 for Design and Applied Arts programs.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.6x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Design and Applied Arts programs nationally.

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 10% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $28,500 represents roughly 9 months of the $39,450 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #24 of 290 programs, Metropolitan State University of Denver's Design and Applied Arts program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Five-year earnings of $64,448 show a 63% jump from the $39,450 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About Metropolitan State University of Denver

Metropolitan State University of Denver accepts 99% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a mid-sized student body of 14,932 in Denver, CO.

See all programs and financial aid at Metropolitan State University of Denver →

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

Design and Applied Arts at Other Schools

Other Majors at Metropolitan State University of Denver

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Design and Applied Arts at Metropolitan State University of Denver?

A score of 53/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Design and Applied Arts field.

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 $578,031 in decade earnings vs $640,545 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →