Design and Applied Arts at Pratt Institute-Main

Brooklyn, NY · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
32 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
32
Optimistic
32
Base Case
38
Pessimistic
Earnings $36,040/yr (6% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 2.8x earnings multiple
Ranked #152 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 $693K $676K $617K
Earnings Multiple 2.9x 2.8x 2.6x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 32 32 38

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$238,732
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$202,588
15% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$26,000
8.7 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$67,814
88% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $36,040/yr, edging above the $33,862 national average for Design and Applied Arts — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The financial case is thin at 2.8x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.

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 11% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $26,000 represents roughly 9 months of the $36,040 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #152 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs, Pratt Institute-Main falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $67,814 show a 88% jump from the $36,040 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About Pratt Institute-Main

With a 53% acceptance rate, Pratt Institute-Main is moderately selective, with a smaller student body of 3,766 in Brooklyn, NY.

See all programs and financial aid at Pratt Institute-Main →

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 Pratt Institute-Main

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 Pratt Institute-Main?
A score of 32/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Design and Applied Arts. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
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 $616,644 in decade earnings vs $692,703 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →