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Design and Applied Arts at Northwest College of Art & Design

Tacoma, WA · Private for-profit · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $27,694/yr (-18% vs median)

AI Risk High (38% exposed)

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

ROI 5.4x earnings multiple

Ranked #229 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	$383K	$392K	$387K
Earnings Multiple	5.3x	5.4x	5.3x
Probability of Field Employment	63%	57%	46%
DegreeOutlook Score	26	25	34

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$72,400

Median Debt at Graduation

$30,734

13.3 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $27,694 place Northwest College of Art & Design below the $33,862 national median for Design and Applied Arts — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 5.4x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.

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 -1% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $30,734 against $27,694/yr in first-year earnings means roughly 1.1 years of salary goes to loan repayment. That's a heavy but not crushing debt load.

Ranked #229 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs, Northwest College of Art & Design falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

About Northwest College of Art & Design

Northwest College of Art & Design accepts 76% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, a smaller institution with 150 students in Tacoma, WA. With 52% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at Northwest College of Art & Design →

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

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Design and Applied Arts at Northwest College of Art & Design?

A score of 25/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Design and Applied Arts. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Is Design and Applied Arts at Northwest College of Art & Design worth the student debt?

Median debt of $30,734 against $27,694/yr starting salary means roughly 1.1 years of earnings go to repayment. That's above average — financial aid and loan terms matter here.

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 $387,313 in decade earnings vs $382,914 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with Design and Applied Arts from Northwest College of Art & Design?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.

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