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Design at DePaul University

Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Design and Applied Arts
26 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
27
Optimistic
26
Base Case
36
Pessimistic
Earnings $30,536/yr (-10% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 3.6x earnings multiple
Ranked #213 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs

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 $655K $641K $589K
Earnings Multiple 3.7x 3.6x 3.3x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 27 26 36

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$177,840
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$116,564
34% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$27,000
10.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$61,069
100% growth from Year 1

About DePaul University

A 74% acceptance rate means DePaul University is accessible to most applicants, serving 14,283 students in Chicago, IL. The average net cost of $116,564 over four years represents a 34% discount from published tuition.

See all programs and financial aid at DePaul 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 DePaul University

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($84,066) Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management ($79,863) Computer Programming ($72,234) Accounting and Related Services ($69,250) Management Information Systems and Services ($68,769) Finance and Financial Management Services ($66,863) Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications ($61,482) Information Science/Studies ($60,468)

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

How does DePaul University's Design program score?
This program scores 26/100 — on the lower end for Design. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Design to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Design careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 38% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →