Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $24,716/yr fall 27% below the $33,862 national median for Design and Applied Arts. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
The 24.3x 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 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $27,000 debt load exceeds a year of the $24,716 starting salary, suggesting a multi-year repayment window before graduates break even financially.
Ranked #104 out of 290 programs, Ohio University-Zanesville Campus's Design and Applied Arts offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
Earnings growth from $24,716 to $53,422 over five years (116% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.