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Design at Oregon State University

Corvallis, OR · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Design and Applied Arts
39 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
40
Optimistic
39
Base Case
46
Pessimistic
Earnings $35,614/yr (5% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 10.1x earnings multiple (3.8x out-of-state)
Ranked #112 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 graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $550K $545K $511K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.2x 10.1x 9.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 3.8x 3.6x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 40 39 46

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$53,976
Out-of-state: $142,656 (3.8x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$78,272
-45% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$21,500
7.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$53,265
50% growth from Year 1

About Oregon State University

A 79% acceptance rate means Oregon State University is accessible to most applicants, serving a student body of 29,557 in Corvallis, OR.

See all programs and financial aid at Oregon State 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

Compare this program → View all 290 schools offering Design →

Design at Other Schools

Carnegie Mellon University ($66,274) University of Southern California ($64,846) University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($63,449) University of California-Los Angeles ($57,615) Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus ($52,694) University of Cincinnati-Main Campus ($52,526) Utah State University ($52,431) Interior Designers Institute ($51,188)

Other Majors at Oregon State University

Computer Science ($85,376) Construction Engineering ($80,936) Industrial Engineering ($78,425) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($77,636) Manufacturing Engineering ($72,154) Chemical Engineering ($71,618) Engineering, Other ($71,549) Civil Engineering ($70,635)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Design trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Oregon State University's Design program score?
This program scores 39/100 — on the lower end for Design. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Design to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Design 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 →