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Design and Applied Arts at Missouri Western State University

Saint Joseph, MO · Public · Bachelor's Degree
39 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
40
Optimistic
39
Base Case
45
Pessimistic
Earnings $37,200/yr (10% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 11.6x earnings multiple (6.5x out-of-state)
Ranked #109 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 $451K $455K $438K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.5x 11.6x 11.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.4x 6.5x 6.3x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 40 39 45

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$39,200
Out-of-state: $70,000 (6.5x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$50,552
-29% less than sticker · See by income

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $37,200/yr, edging above the $33,862 national average for Design and Applied Arts — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The 11.6x 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 3% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Ranked #109 out of 290 programs, Missouri Western State University's Design and Applied Arts offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

About Missouri Western State University

a compact campus enrolling 2,372 students in Saint Joseph, MO.

See all programs and financial aid at Missouri Western 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 Missouri Western State University

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($70,938) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($55,955) Finance and Financial Management Services ($47,265) Accounting and Related Services ($47,202) Construction Engineering Technologies ($47,141) Marketing ($43,070) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($41,902) Biology, General ($40,936)

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 Missouri Western State University's Design and Applied Arts program score?
This program scores 39/100 — 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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →