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Design and Applied Arts at Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
27 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
28
Optimistic
27
Base Case
35
Pessimistic
Earnings $33,615/yr (-1% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 1.7x earnings multiple
Ranked #201 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 $425K $431K $419K
Earnings Multiple 1.7x 1.7x 1.7x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 28 27 35

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$251,928
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$88,468
65% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,089
6.8 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $33,615 track close to the $33,862 national median for Design and Applied Arts programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The financial case is thin at 1.7x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.

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 2% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $19,089 represents roughly 7 months of the $33,615 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #201 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs, Washington University in St Louis falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

About Washington University in St Louis

Washington University in St Louis admits 12% of applicants — among the most selective institutions in the country, with a mid-sized student body of 7,897 in Saint Louis, MO. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $88,468 — 65% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at Washington University in St Louis →

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 Washington University in St Louis

Computer Science ($110,302) Business/Managerial Economics ($106,701) Finance and Financial Management Services ($102,814) Systems Engineering ($83,874) Mathematics ($79,799) Mechanical Engineering ($72,057) Marketing ($70,819) Chemical Engineering ($69,801)

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 Washington University in St Louis?
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 $418,800 in decade earnings vs $425,448 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is Washington University in St Louis a hidden gem for Design and Applied Arts?
After financial aid, the average student pays $88,468 over four years — 65% below the $251,928 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →