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Design and Applied Arts at West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV · Public · Bachelor's Degree
53 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
54
Optimistic
53
Base Case
57
Pessimistic
Earnings $39,847/yr (18% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 15.6x earnings multiple (5.5x out-of-state)
Ranked #27 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs Top 10%

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 $611K $601K $556K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.8x 15.6x 14.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.6x 5.5x 5.1x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 54 53 57

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$38,592
Out-of-state: $109,440 (5.5x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$51,988
-35% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$25,000
7.5 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$61,505
54% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $39,847 at West Virginia University come in 18% above the national median of $33,862 for Design and Applied Arts programs.

The 15.6x 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 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $25,000 debt-to-$39,847 income ratio translates to about 8 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

A #27 ranking out of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs nationally puts West Virginia University in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $39,847 to $61,505 over five years (54% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About West Virginia University

West Virginia University accepts 86% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 17,705 students in Morgantown, WV.

See all programs and financial aid at West Virginia University →

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 West Virginia University

Mining and Mineral Engineering ($85,897) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($79,662) Computer Engineering ($76,314) Industrial Engineering ($75,606) Computer Science ($74,159) Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering ($72,210) Mechanical Engineering ($71,504) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($71,298)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Design and Applied Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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

How does West Virginia University's Design and Applied Arts program score?
This program scores 53/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Design and Applied Arts graduates.
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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →