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Design and Applied Arts at Winthrop University

Rock Hill, SC · Public · Bachelor's Degree
42 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
43
Optimistic
42
Base Case
46
Pessimistic
Earnings $40,119/yr (18% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 8.2x earnings multiple (4.3x out-of-state)
Ranked #84 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs Top 50%

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 $527K $524K $494K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 8.3x 8.2x 7.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.3x 4.3x 4.1x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 43 42 46

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$63,824
Out-of-state: $121,144 (4.3x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$65,412
-2% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$27,917
8.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$52,038
30% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $40,119/yr, edging above the $33,862 national average for Design and Applied Arts — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 8.2x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.

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 6% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $27,917 represents roughly 8 months of the $40,119 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

At #84 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs, Winthrop University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $40,119 to $52,038 over five years — a 30% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About Winthrop University

Winthrop University has a 75% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, a smaller institution with 3,424 students in Rock Hill, SC.

See all programs and financial aid at Winthrop 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 Winthrop University

Computer and Information Sciences, General ($64,302) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($44,568) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($41,708) Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication ($40,487) Special Education and Teaching ($40,435) Communication and Media Studies ($35,198) Social Work ($35,070) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas ($34,418)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Design and Applied Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Design and Applied Arts at Winthrop University?
A score of 42/100 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 $493,788 in decade earnings vs $526,743 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →