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Design and Applied Arts at Washington State University

Pullman, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
55 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
55
Optimistic
55
Base Case
55
Pessimistic
Earnings $44,823/yr (32% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 11.4x earnings multiple (5.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #19 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 $600K $591K $548K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.5x 11.4x 10.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.2x 5.1x 4.7x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 55 55 55

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$51,988
Out-of-state: $116,292 (5.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$57,604
-11% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$24,604
6.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$61,992
38% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $44,823 put Washington State University's Design and Applied Arts program 32% above the national median of $33,862 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 11.4x 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 9% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $24,604 represents roughly 7 months of the $44,823 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #19 of 290 programs, Washington State University's Design and Applied Arts program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Earnings grow from $44,823 to $61,992 over five years — a 38% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About Washington State University

Washington State University accepts 85% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with 21,583 students enrolled in Pullman, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Washington State 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

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)

Compare Design and Applied Arts

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

Other Majors at Washington State University

Computer Engineering ($87,135) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($83,894) Construction Engineering Technologies ($80,404) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($79,874) Computer Science ($79,519) Civil Engineering ($74,841) Mechanical Engineering ($72,690) Chemical Engineering ($69,820)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Design and Applied Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Design and Applied Arts at Washington State University?
A score of 55/100 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 $547,693 in decade earnings vs $599,562 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →