Computer Software and Media Applications at University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ · Public · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
66
Optimistic
65
Base Case
56
Pessimistic
Earnings
$44,645/yr (-4% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (70% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (262,500 openings/yr)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Computer Software and Media Applications graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $512K | $416K | $272K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 9.4x | 7.6x | 5.0x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 3.1x | 2.5x | 1.7x |
| Viable Career Paths | 13 of 13 | 13 of 13 | 8 of 13 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 66 | 65 | 56 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition (In-State)
$54,504
Out-of-state: $164,380
Median Debt at Graduation
$22,198
6.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Career Paths
Where Computer Software and Media Applications graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 262,500 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and information systems managers | $171,200 | 55,600 | +15.2% | 53% |
| Computer and information research scientists | $140,910 | 3,200 | +19.7% | 63% |
| Database architects | $135,980 | 4,000 | +8.7% | 94% |
| Software developers | $133,080 | 115,200 | +15.8% | 87% |
| Data scientists | $112,590 | 23,400 | +33.5% | 64% |
| Database administrators | $104,620 | 3,800 | -0.7% | 94% |
| Special effects artists and animators | $99,800 | 5,000 | +1.6% | 52% |
| Computer programmers | $98,670 | 5,500 | -6.0% | 95% |
Compare & Explore
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Computer Software and Media Applications at University of Arizona?
This program scores 65/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 66 (optimistic) to 56 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Computer Software and Media Applications career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Computer Software and Media Applications graduates retain 13 of 13 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $272,046 (pessimistic) to $511,805 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Computer Software and Media Applications graduates?
The career paths mapped to Computer Software and Media Applications have roughly 262,500 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a very large job market.
Is Computer Software and Media Applications at University of Arizona worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 7.6x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 5.0x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
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.