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Design at Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Design and Applied Arts
42 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
43
Optimistic
42
Base Case
48
Pessimistic
Earnings $36,917/yr (9% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 10.0x earnings multiple
Ranked #81 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 graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $572K $566K $528K
Earnings Multiple 10.1x 10.0x 9.3x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 43 42 48

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$56,760
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$64,164
-13% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$27,500
8.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$56,215
52% growth from Year 1

About Central Michigan University

A 91% acceptance rate means Central Michigan University is accessible to most applicants, enrolling 9,916 students in Mount Pleasant, MI.

See all programs and financial aid at Central Michigan 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 →

Design 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 Central Michigan University

Computer Science ($74,135) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($71,457) Mechanical Engineering ($69,862) Management Information Systems and Services ($68,088) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($66,149) Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($64,284) Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($63,862) Accounting and Related Services ($62,430)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Design trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

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 at Central Michigan University?
A score of 42/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Design. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Design careers?
With 38% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $527,587 in decade earnings vs $572,401 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →