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Design and Applied Arts at SUNY at Fredonia

Fredonia, NY · Public · Bachelor's Degree
30 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
31
Optimistic
30
Base Case
33
Pessimistic
Earnings $19,451/yr (-43% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 15.4x earnings multiple (7.0x out-of-state)
Ranked #180 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 $544K $539K $506K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.5x 15.4x 14.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.1x 7.0x 6.6x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 31 30 33

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$35,084
Out-of-state: $76,764 (7.0x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$62,576
-78% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$22,500
13.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$43,925
126% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $19,451 place SUNY at Fredonia below the $33,862 national median for Design and Applied Arts — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.

The 15.4x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 38% task exposure — and the 7% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $22,500 debt load exceeds a year of the $19,451 starting salary, suggesting a multi-year repayment window before graduates break even financially.

At #180 out of 290 programs, SUNY at Fredonia's financial outcomes for Design and Applied Arts trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

Earnings growth from $19,451 to $43,925 over five years (126% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About SUNY at Fredonia

SUNY at Fredonia accepts 79% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, a compact campus enrolling 2,860 students in Fredonia, NY.

See all programs and financial aid at SUNY at Fredonia →

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 and Applied Arts →

Design and Applied Arts 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 SUNY at Fredonia

Finance and Financial Management Services ($46,737) Accounting and Related Services ($46,658) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($44,089) Marketing ($42,468) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas ($36,276) Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication ($33,126) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($32,515) Biology, General ($31,617)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Design and Applied Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How does SUNY at Fredonia's Design and Applied Arts program score?
This program scores 30/100 — on the lower end for Design and Applied Arts. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
Do SUNY at Fredonia Design and Applied Arts graduates earn enough to justify the loans?
The debt-to-income ratio of 1.2x suggests an extended repayment window. Whether it's 'worth it' depends on career trajectory, not just first-year pay.
How vulnerable is Design and Applied Arts to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Design and Applied Arts 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.
Why are Design and Applied Arts earnings lower at SUNY at Fredonia?
Lower starting pay at SUNY at Fredonia may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →