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Design and Applied Arts at Northeastern University

Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $49,727/yr (47% vs median)

AI Risk High (38% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)

ROI 3.4x earnings multiple

Ranked #26 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs Top 10%

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	$902K	$868K	$772K
Earnings Multiple	3.6x	3.4x	3.1x
Probability of Field Employment	63%	57%	46%
DegreeOutlook Score	54	53	53

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$252,564

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$128,464

49% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$25,500

6.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$95,088

91% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $49,727 put Northeastern University's Design and Applied Arts program 47% above the national median of $33,862 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.

An earnings multiple of 3.4x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.

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 14% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $25,500 represents roughly 6 months of the $49,727 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #26 of 290 programs, Northeastern University's Design and Applied Arts program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Five-year earnings of $95,088 show a 91% jump from the $49,727 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About Northeastern University

Northeastern University's 6% admission rate places it in the top tier of selectivity nationally, serving 15,719 students in Boston, MA. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $128,464 — 49% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at Northeastern 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

Design and Applied Arts at Other Schools

Other Majors at Northeastern University

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

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 Northeastern University?

A score of 53/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Design and Applied Arts field.

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 $771,885 in decade earnings vs $902,407 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →