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Design and Applied Arts at CUNY Queens College

Queens, NY · Public · Bachelor's Degree
33 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
34
Optimistic
33
Base Case
35
Pessimistic
Earnings $19,349/yr (-43% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 18.4x earnings multiple (9.0x out-of-state)
Ranked #146 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 $562K $556K $520K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.6x 18.4x 17.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 9.1x 9.0x 8.4x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 34 33 35

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$30,152
Out-of-state: $61,952 (9.0x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$15,320
49% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$14,250
8.8 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$45,307
134% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

CUNY Queens College's Design and Applied Arts graduates start at $19,349/yr, trailing the $33,862 national average by 43%. The program's value hinges on affordability.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 18.4x 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 7% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $14,250 represents roughly 9 months of the $19,349 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #146 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs, CUNY Queens College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $45,307 show a 134% jump from the $19,349 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About CUNY Queens College

CUNY Queens College's 69% acceptance rate reflects moderate selectivity, enrolling 13,060 students in Queens, NY. With 48% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum. After financial aid, the average student pays $15,320 over four years — 49% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at CUNY Queens College →

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 CUNY Queens College

Computer Science ($63,632) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas ($58,894) Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language ($48,923) Finance and Financial Management Services ($45,168) Accounting and Related Services ($45,158) Urban Studies/Affairs ($42,995) Economics ($39,377) Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics ($37,654)

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 CUNY Queens College?
A score of 33/100 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 $519,895 in decade earnings vs $562,012 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Design and Applied Arts from CUNY Queens College?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →