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Design and Applied Arts at Mount Mary University

Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $30,053/yr (-11% vs median)

AI Risk High (38% exposed)

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

ROI 3.1x earnings multiple

Ranked #271 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	$418K	$424K	$413K
Earnings Multiple	3.0x	3.1x	3.0x
Probability of Field Employment	63%	57%	46%
DegreeOutlook Score	20	20	29

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$137,560

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$73,180

47% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$26,500

10.6 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$36,199

20% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Mount Mary University's Design and Applied Arts program produces graduates earning $30,053/yr — within striking distance of the $33,862 national average for this field.

An earnings multiple of 3.1x 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 1% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $26,500 represents roughly 11 months of the $30,053 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #271 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs, Mount Mary University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Earnings grow from $30,053 to $36,199 over five years — a 20% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About Mount Mary University

A 93% acceptance rate means Mount Mary University is accessible to most applicants, a smaller institution with 703 students in Milwaukee, WI. Pell Grant recipients make up 58% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $73,180 — 47% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at Mount Mary University →

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 Mount Mary University

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 Mount Mary University?

A score of 20/100 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 $413,450 in decade earnings vs $418,222 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

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