Design and Applied Arts: Miami University-Oxford vs University of California-Los Angeles

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
8.8x
$71,236 tuition
13.6x
$54,988 tuition
Out-of-State
3.9x
$160,100 tuition
4.2x
$178,096 tuition
$624,987 10-yr earnings · Public
$749,189 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Miami University-Oxford University of California-Los Angeles
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 8.8x 13.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 4.2x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $71,236 $54,988
Year 1 Earnings $47,295 $57,615
10-Year Earnings $625K $749K
Median Debt $26,000 $19,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 6.6 months 4.0 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 49/100 59/100
Acceptance Rate 82.1% 8.7%

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.

Miami University-Oxford University of California-Los Angeles
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $71,236 $54,988
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $160,100 $178,096
10-Year Projected Earnings $625K $749K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 8.8x 13.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 4.2x
5-Year Salary Growth +42% +49%

"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.

Miami University-Oxford University of California-Los Angeles
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $637K $625K $575K $773K $749K $676K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 8.9x 8.8x 8.1x 14.0x 13.6x 12.3x
DegreeWorth Score 50 49 47 60 59 57

For the full AI analysis of Design and Applied Arts career paths, see the Miami University-Oxford or University of California-Los Angeles program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$16,248
University of California-Los Angeles saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$10,320/yr
University of California-Los Angeles grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
8.8x / 13.6x
Out-of-state: 3.9x / 4.2x

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: Miami University-Oxford or University of California-Los Angeles?
Miami University-Oxford scores 49/100 while University of California-Los Angeles scores 59/100. University of California-Los Angeles 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?
Miami University-Oxford has an in-state earnings multiple of 8.8x vs University of California-Los Angeles's 13.6x. That means University of California-Los Angeles grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Miami University-Oxford and University of California-Los Angeles compare on Design and Applied Arts earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $47,295 at Miami University-Oxford vs $57,615 at University of California-Los Angeles. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $624,987 vs $749,189 — a difference of $124,202.
How much does Design and Applied Arts cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $71,236 at Miami University-Oxford and $54,988 at University of California-Los Angeles. Median debt at graduation is $26,000 vs $19,000. 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.