Designat Roosevelt University
Graduates earn $19,028/yr in their first year — about 44.0% below the national Design average. Base-case 10-year earnings $335K; scenarios range from $341K to $321K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Roosevelt University
Roosevelt's Design and Applied Arts program operates within Chicago's vibrant but competitive creative landscape. The comprehensive nature of "Design and Applied Arts" can mean graduates enter a wide range of roles, not always the most specialized or highest-paying within the design field itself. Many successful designers emerge from programs with very strong industry connections or highly focused specializations that align directly with market demand in areas like digital product design or advanced animation.
Graduates from a broad program like this might find themselves competing for entry-level positions with those from more specialized art and design schools, or roles where a strong, demonstrable portfolio of commercial work is paramount. This can sometimes lead to initial career paths outside the most lucrative design niches. To truly thrive, you'll need to aggressively build a portfolio showcasing highly specific, in-demand skills and actively network with design agencies and tech companies throughout your studies.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Roosevelt University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Design
How Roosevelt University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Roosevelt University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Roosevelt University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Design offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Design trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Design at Roosevelt University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Design at Roosevelt University?
A score of 22/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Design. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Is Design at Roosevelt University worth the student debt?
Median debt of $25,048 against $19,028/yr starting salary means roughly 1.3 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 $341,227 in decade earnings vs $320,661 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Design from Roosevelt University?
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.