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Design and Applied Arts at Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZ · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $33,964/yr (0% vs median)

AI Risk High (38% exposed)

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

ROI 11.0x earnings multiple (4.8x out-of-state)

Ranked #107 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	$563K	$557K	$521K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	11.1x	11.0x	10.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.9x	4.8x	4.5x
Probability of Field Employment	63%	57%	46%
DegreeOutlook Score	39	39	47

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$50,608

Out-of-state: $115,600 (4.8x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$59,688

-18% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$23,333

8.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$54,011

59% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $33,964/yr, roughly in line with the $33,862 national median for Design and Applied Arts. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 11.0x 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 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $23,333 debt-to-$33,964 income ratio translates to about 8 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #107 out of 290 programs, Northern Arizona University's Design and Applied Arts offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $33,964 to $54,011 over five years (59% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University accepts 91% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving a student body of 23,041 in Flagstaff, AZ.

See all programs and financial aid at Northern Arizona 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 Northern Arizona University

Consider the Trade Route?

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 Northern Arizona 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 →