Program Analysis
At $20,829 per year, Design and Applied Arts graduates from Academy of Art University earn below the $33,862 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.
At 6.2x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 38% task exposure — and the 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $31,500 debt load exceeds a year of the $20,829 starting salary, suggesting a multi-year repayment window before graduates break even financially.
At #200 out of 290 programs, Academy of Art University's financial outcomes for Design and Applied Arts trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
Earnings growth from $20,829 to $57,948 over five years (178% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.