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Design at Russell Sage College

Troy, NY · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Design and Applied Arts
26 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
26
Optimistic
26
Base Case
33
Pessimistic
Earnings $35,294/yr (4% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 3.1x earnings multiple
Ranked #216 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 $448K $452K $435K
Earnings Multiple 3.0x 3.1x 3.0x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 26 26 33

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$147,024
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$92,108
37% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$24,250
8.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$41,092
16% growth from Year 1

About Russell Sage College

A 76% acceptance rate means Russell Sage College is accessible to most applicants, a compact campus enrolling 1,075 students in Troy, NY. Pell Grant recipients make up 43% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity. After financial aid, the average student pays $92,108 over four years — 37% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at Russell Sage College →

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 Russell Sage College

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($73,302) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($37,953) Psychology, General ($37,821) Social Sciences, Other ($27,436)

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Design at Russell Sage College?
A score of 26/100 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 $435,480 in decade earnings vs $447,978 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →