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Design and Applied Arts at William Peace University

Raleigh, NC · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
28 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
29
Optimistic
28
Base Case
36
Pessimistic
Earnings $33,536/yr (-1% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 3.2x earnings multiple
Ranked #195 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 $418K
Earnings Multiple 3.2x 3.2x 3.2x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 29 28 36

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$132,600
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$86,912
34% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$24,000
8.6 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $33,536/yr, roughly in line with the $33,862 national median for Design and Applied Arts. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

An earnings multiple of 3.2x 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 2% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $24,000 represents roughly 9 months of the $33,536 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #195 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs, William Peace University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

About William Peace University

William Peace University accepts 97% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, a compact campus enrolling 661 students in Raleigh, NC. After financial aid, the average student pays $86,912 over four years — 34% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at William Peace 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)

Other Majors at William Peace University

Business Administration, Management and Operations ($47,278) Criminology ($41,509) Biology, General ($39,710) Psychology, General ($28,202)

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 William Peace University?
A score of 28/100 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 $418,379 in decade earnings vs $424,882 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →