Design and Applied Arts: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus vs The University of Texas at Austin

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
17.3x
$47,056 tuition
17.7x
$46,712 tuition
Out-of-State
6.2x
$131,504 tuition
4.8x
$171,112 tuition
$813,621 10-yr earnings · Public
$828,914 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus The University of Texas at Austin
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.3x 17.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.2x 4.8x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $47,056 $46,712
Year 1 Earnings $52,694 $44,506
10-Year Earnings $814K $829K
Median Debt $26,354 $18,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 6.0 months 4.9 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 62/100 58/100
Acceptance Rate 16.5% 29.1%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (38% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Design and Applied Arts graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Design and Applied Arts graduates.

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus The University of Texas at Austin
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $47,056 $46,712
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $131,504 $171,112
10-Year Projected Earnings $814K $829K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.3x 17.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.2x 4.8x
5-Year Salary Growth +73% +98%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Design and Applied Arts (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus The University of Texas at Austin
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $843K $814K $728K $860K $829K $740K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 17.9x 17.3x 15.5x 18.4x 17.7x 15.8x
DegreeWorth Score 63 62 59 60 58 58

For the full AI analysis of Design and Applied Arts career paths, see the Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus or The University of Texas at Austin program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Design and Applied Arts graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$344
The University of Texas at Austin saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$8,188/yr
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
17.3x / 17.7x
Out-of-state: 6.2x / 4.8x

Career Paths

Design and Applied Arts graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Art directors $111,040 12,300 +4.2% 50%
Architecture teachers, postsecondary $101,480 900 +2.0% 49%
Special effects artists and animators $99,800 5,000 +1.6% 52%
Web and digital interface designers $98,090 9,100 +7.0% 67%
Fashion designers $80,690 2,300 +2.0% 39%
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190 9,000 +1.7% 44%
Commercial and industrial designers $79,450 2,500 +3.2% 47%
Postsecondary teachers, all other $78,490 13,500 +1.8% 0%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Design and Applied Arts: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus or The University of Texas at Austin?
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus scores 62/100 while The University of Texas at Austin scores 58/100. The University of Texas at Austin has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Design and Applied Arts?
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus has an in-state earnings multiple of 17.3x vs The University of Texas at Austin's 17.7x. That means The University of Texas at Austin grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus and The University of Texas at Austin compare on Design and Applied Arts earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $52,694 at Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus vs $44,506 at The University of Texas at Austin. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $813,621 vs $828,914 — a difference of $15,293.
How much does Design and Applied Arts cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $47,056 at Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus and $46,712 at The University of Texas at Austin. Median debt at graduation is $26,354 vs $18,000. Both programs lead to the same Design and Applied Arts career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.