Design and Applied Arts at Mohawk Valley Community College

Utica, NY · Public · Associate Degree

with a smaller student body of 2,994 in Utica, NY.

Program Analysis

At $21,012 per year, Design and Applied Arts graduates from Mohawk Valley Community College earn below the $28,654 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.

The 18.0x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. Trade programs often deliver strong ratios, and this one is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 38% task exposure — and the 0% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook for Design and Applied Arts graduates.

The median debt load of $9,534 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

At #79 out of 92 programs, Mohawk Valley Community College's financial outcomes for Design and Applied Arts trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

With 9 registered apprenticeships mapped to Design and Applied Arts, graduates have substantial options for hands-on training paths that pay from day one.

36 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
33
Low End
36
Score
38
High End
Earnings $21,012/yr (-27% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (62% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$220K
1.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
18.0x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
14 of 14
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$12,228
Out-of-state: $17,390
Median Debt at Graduation
$9,534
5.4 months of Year 1 earnings

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Design and Applied Arts graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Art directors $111,040 +4.2% 50%
Architecture teachers, postsecondary $101,480 +2.0% 51%
Special effects artists and animators $99,800 +1.6% 48%
Art directors
$111,040
+4.2% growth 50% AI-proof
Architecture teachers, postsecondary
$101,480
+2.0% growth 51% AI-proof
Special effects artists and animators
$99,800
+1.6% growth 48% AI-proof

View all 14 career paths with full salary data →

Design and Applied Arts Career Guide

Design and Applied Arts opens doors to multiple career tracks. Our pillar guide covers every mapped occupation with salary data and AI resilience ratings.

Read the full Design and Applied Arts career guide →

Compare & Explore

Design and Applied Arts Overview

Design and Applied Arts at Other Schools

Other Majors at Mohawk Valley Community College

How Does a Bachelor's Degree Compare?

Four-year programs take longer but may unlock different career trajectories. See the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 36/100 TradeSchoolOutlook Score mean for Design and Applied Arts at Mohawk Valley Community College?
At 36/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Design and Applied Arts programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.
How vulnerable is Design and Applied Arts to AI automation?
With 38% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $219,833 in decade earnings vs $219,833 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Why are Design and Applied Arts earnings lower at Mohawk Valley Community College?
Starting salary is one data point. If Mohawk Valley Community College's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.
Can I learn Design and Applied Arts through an apprenticeship instead of Mohawk Valley Community College?
Beyond Mohawk Valley Community College's classroom route, 9 registered apprenticeships map to Design and Applied Arts careers — including Bank-Note Designer. Apprenticeships trade shorter program length for longer on-the-job training, typically 2-4 years.
Is there demand for Design and Applied Arts workers?
The career paths mapped to Design and Applied Arts have roughly 101,000 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Demand is driven by consistent replacement demand and industry growth.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →