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Design and Applied Arts at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI · Public · Bachelor's Degree
58 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
58
Optimistic
58
Base Case
57
Pessimistic
Earnings $49,780/yr (47% vs median)
AI Risk High (38% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (101,000 openings/yr)
ROI 12.4x earnings multiple (3.4x out-of-state)
Ranked #11 of 290 Design and Applied Arts programs Top 5%

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 $562K $556K $520K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.5x 12.4x 11.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.5x 3.4x 3.2x
Probability of Field Employment 63% 57% 46%
DegreeOutlook Score 58 58 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)
$44,820
Out-of-state: $162,412 (3.4x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$67,712
-51% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$17,875
4.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$58,646
18% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison's Design and Applied Arts program earn $49,780/yr in their first year — 47% above the $33,862 national median, a strong market signal for this institution.

The 12.4x 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 7% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $17,875 in median debt against $49,780 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #11 out of 290 programs, University of Wisconsin-Madison's Design and Applied Arts program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth is modest: $49,780 to $58,646 over five years (18% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.

About University of Wisconsin-Madison

With a 43% acceptance rate, University of Wisconsin-Madison is moderately selective, serving a student body of 35,665 in Madison, WI.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Wisconsin-Madison →

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)

Compare Design and Applied Arts

University of Wisconsin-Madison vs University of Washington-Seattle Campus → University of Wisconsin-Madison vs University of California-Los Angeles → University of Wisconsin-Madison vs Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus → University of Wisconsin-Madison vs University of Cincinnati-Main Campus →

Other Majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Chemical Engineering ($85,945) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($83,260) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($82,018) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($80,566) Industrial Engineering ($80,435) Insurance ($78,796) Materials Engineering ($76,662) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($75,513)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Design and Applied Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Wisconsin-Madison's Design and Applied Arts program score?
This program scores 58/100, 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.
Why does University of Wisconsin-Madison rank so high for Design and Applied Arts?
The #11 ranking out of 290 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →