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Design and Applied Arts at California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
46 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
47
Optimistic
46
Base Case
52
Pessimistic
Earnings $36,736/yr (8% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 18.1x earnings multiple (6.8x out-of-state)
Ranked #51 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs Top 25%

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 $515K $513K $485K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.2x 18.1x 17.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.8x 6.8x 6.4x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 47 46 52

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$28,380
Out-of-state: $75,900 (6.8x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$30,396
-7% less than sticker · See by income
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$49,713
35% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

California State University-Northridge's Design and Applied Arts graduates start at $36,736/yr — above the $33,862 national average, though not by a wide margin.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 18.1x 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 6% gap from the optimistic case.

At #51 of 290 nationally, this is a top-5% Design and Applied Arts program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.

Earnings grow from $36,736 to $49,713 over five years — a 35% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About California State University-Northridge

A 93% acceptance rate means California State University-Northridge is accessible to most applicants, one of the larger campuses at 32,357 students in Northridge, CA. With 56% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Northridge →

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 California State University-Northridge

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($106,780) Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($100,724) Construction Engineering Technologies ($79,352) Public Administration ($76,049) Computer Engineering ($75,692) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($75,207) Mechanical Engineering ($71,359) Accounting and Related Services ($68,904)

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 California State University-Northridge?
A score of 46/100 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 $485,229 in decade earnings vs $515,181 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes California State University-Northridge's Design and Applied Arts program stand out?
Ranked #51 of 290 programs nationally, California State University-Northridge lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →