Design at Northwest College of Art & Design
Tacoma, WA · Private for-profit · Bachelor's Degree · Design and Applied Arts
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
26
Optimistic
25
Base Case
34
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
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Design 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
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
Compare & Explore
Design 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 at Northwest College of Art & Design?
A score of 25/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Design. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Is Design 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 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 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 →