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Design and Applied Arts at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus

Madison, NJ · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
21 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
22
Optimistic
21
Base Case
28
Pessimistic
Earnings $24,357/yr (-28% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 2.6x earnings multiple
Ranked #266 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 and Applied Arts graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $359K $370K $370K
Earnings Multiple 2.5x 2.6x 2.6x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 22 21 28

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$143,288
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$97,660
32% less than sticker · See by income

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $24,357 place Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus below the $33,862 national median for Design and Applied Arts — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.

An earnings multiple of 2.6x means the program roughly breaks even in financial terms over ten years. Non-financial factors need to justify the investment.

AI risk is moderate — 38% task exposure — and the -3% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At #266 out of 290 programs, Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus's financial outcomes for Design and Applied Arts trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

About Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus

Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus accepts 95% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a smaller student body of 1,958 in Madison, NJ. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $97,660 — 32% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus →

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 Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($91,523) Accounting and Related Services ($53,129) Finance and Financial Management Services ($52,729) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($41,788) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($39,442) Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($39,071) Hospitality Administration/Management ($38,330) Criminology ($37,619)

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

How does Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus's Design and Applied Arts program score?
This program scores 21/100 — on the lower end for Design and Applied Arts. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Design and Applied Arts to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Design and Applied Arts 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.
Why are Design and Applied Arts earnings lower at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus?
Lower starting pay at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →