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Design and Applied Arts at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
69 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
70
Optimistic
69
Base Case
69
Pessimistic
Earnings $63,449/yr (87% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 14.4x earnings multiple (4.3x out-of-state)
Ranked #2 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs Top 1%

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 $752K $730K $660K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 14.9x 14.4x 13.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.5x 4.3x 3.9x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 70 69 69

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$50,572
Out-of-state: $167,988 (4.3x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$53,940
-7% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$12,250
2.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$85,351
35% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates of University of Washington-Seattle Campus's Design and Applied Arts program earn $63,449/yr in their first year — 87% above the $33,862 national median, a strong market signal for this institution.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.4x 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 12% gap from the optimistic case.

At $12,250 in median debt against $63,449 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #2 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs nationally, University of Washington-Seattle Campus sits in the top 1% — one of the strongest programs in the country by financial outcomes.

Earnings grow from $63,449 to $85,351 over five years — a 35% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About University of Washington-Seattle Campus

With a 43% acceptance rate, University of Washington-Seattle Campus is moderately selective, serving a student body of 31,588 in Seattle, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Washington-Seattle Campus →

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 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) Wentworth Institute of Technology ($50,599)

Compare Design and Applied Arts

University of Washington-Seattle Campus vs University of California-Los Angeles → University of Washington-Seattle Campus vs Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus → University of Washington-Seattle Campus vs University of Cincinnati-Main Campus →

Other Majors at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Computer Engineering ($141,588) Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($135,384) Computer Science ($128,887) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($86,212) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($81,989) Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering ($81,517) Architectural Sciences and Technology ($81,377) Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering ($76,881)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Design and Applied Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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 University of Washington-Seattle Campus?
A score of 69/100 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 $660,301 in decade earnings vs $751,676 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes University of Washington-Seattle Campus's Design and Applied Arts program stand out?
Ranked #2 of 290 programs nationally, University of Washington-Seattle Campus lands in the top 1%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →