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Design at Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Design and Applied Arts
25 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
26
Optimistic
25
Base Case
33
Pessimistic
Earnings $34,709/yr (3% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 2.5x earnings multiple
Ranked #226 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 graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $576K $569K $531K
Earnings Multiple 2.5x 2.5x 2.3x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 26 25 33

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$228,064
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$118,776
48% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$26,646
9.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$55,746
61% growth from Year 1

About Rochester Institute of Technology

With 71% of applicants admitted, Rochester Institute of Technology prioritizes broad access, serving 13,225 students in Rochester, NY. After financial aid, the average student pays $118,776 over four years — 48% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at Rochester Institute of Technology →

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 Rochester Institute of Technology

Computer Science ($94,611) Computer Engineering ($90,829) Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management ($89,032) Computer Programming ($83,875) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($82,726) Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($78,298) Mechanical Engineering ($76,263) Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($75,227)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Design trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Design at Rochester Institute of Technology?
A score of 25/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Design. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
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 $530,570 in decade earnings vs $576,431 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →