Home › Kansas State University › Design and Applied Arts

Design and Applied Arts at Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS · Public · Bachelor's Degree
47 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
47
Optimistic
47
Base Case
48
Pessimistic
Earnings $43,992/yr (30% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 11.4x earnings multiple (4.5x out-of-state)
Ranked #46 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 $500K $499K $474K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.4x 11.4x 10.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.5x 4.5x 4.3x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 47 47 48

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$43,768
Out-of-state: $111,264 (4.5x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$71,532
-63% less than sticker · See by income

Program Analysis

Kansas State University Design and Applied Arts graduates command $43,992/yr out of the gate, well above the $33,862 national median. That 30% premium suggests the program's reputation carries real labor-market weight.

The 11.4x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 38% task exposure — and the 5% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Ranked #46 out of 290 programs, Kansas State University's Design and Applied Arts program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

About Kansas State University

A 79% acceptance rate means Kansas State University is accessible to most applicants, enrolling 14,835 students in Manhattan, KS.

See all programs and financial aid at Kansas State 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 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 Kansas State University

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($78,758) Computer Engineering ($77,938) Industrial Engineering ($77,724) Chemical Engineering ($77,492) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($76,385) Agricultural and Food Products Processing ($76,052) Construction Engineering Technologies ($74,253) Architectural Engineering ($74,091)

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

How does Kansas State University's Design and Applied Arts program score?
This program scores 47/100 — 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 does Kansas State University rank so high for Design and Applied Arts?
The #46 ranking out of 290 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →