Bachelor's+6% vs national median418 grads tracked
Design and Applied Arts at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Ranked 34th of 135 bachelor's programs in Design and Applied Arts by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$41,669
middle 50%: $31,706 – $51,753
Median · 5 years out
$61,756
middle 50%: $47,828 – $76,760
Median · 10 years out
$74,972
middle 50%: $56,170 – $98,210
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Design and Applied Arts (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
University of Wisconsin - Madison design graduates earn a median of $41,669 upon entry into the workforce. Long-term earnings reach $74,972 by year ten.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
6.8 yrs
≈ $7,968 total interest
Same major at other universities
State University of New York at New Paltz
$62,579 · 5 yrs out
Clemson University
$62,363 · 5 yrs out
Colorado State University
$62,306 · 5 yrs out
Texas A&M University - Commerce
$61,926 · 5 yrs out
Portland State University
$61,827 · 5 yrs out
Winthrop University
$61,827 · 5 yrs out
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
$61,375 · 5 yrs out
Metropolitan State University of Denver
$60,886 · 5 yrs out
Central Connecticut State University
$60,703 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Bloomington
$60,657 · 5 yrs out
Concordia University - Saint Paul
$59,848 · 5 yrs out
Marymount University
$59,793 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$227,440 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$191,060 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$179,858 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$176,530 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$153,901 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$153,036 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$143,232 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$140,310 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$139,926 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$134,767 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$133,218 · 5 yrs out
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)
$127,595 · 5 yrs out