by our College Data Analytics Team
[Design And Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The highest-paying schools turn a design and applied arts degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 17 schools to find where design and applied arts graduates earn the most.
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Below are the schools whose design and applied arts graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is University Of Wisconsin Madison, our #1 for design and applied arts graduate salaries in Wisconsin. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a public institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison typically earn about $58,646 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in design and applied arts will find them at Waukesha County Technical College, which ranked #2. Waukesha County Technical College is a public school located in the suburb of Pewaukee. Design And Applied Arts graduates of Waukesha County Technical College earn a median of about $34,755 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Wisconsin Stout earned it the #3 place for design and applied arts. Located in the town of Menomonie, University Of Wisconsin Stout is a public institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Stout typically earn about $51,582 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Milwaukee Area Technical College earned it the #4 place for design and applied arts. Milwaukee Area Technical College is a public school located in the city of Milwaukee. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Milwaukee Area Technical College make a median of around $43,680 per year.
A rank of #5 makes Fox Valley Technical College one of the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Located in the suburb of Appleton, Fox Valley Technical College is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $36,286.
Carthage College landed the #6 spot for design and applied arts salaries this year. Carthage College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Kenosha. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $55,354.
University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools. Located in the town of Stevens Point, University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a public institution. Design And Applied Arts graduates of University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point earn a median of about $41,243 a year early in their careers.
Gateway Technical College earned the #8 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Kenosha, Gateway Technical College is a public institution. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Gateway Technical College make a median of around $34,173 per year.
Milwaukee Institute Of Art And Design came in at #9 for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Milwaukee Institute Of Art And Design is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Milwaukee. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Milwaukee Institute Of Art And Design make a median of around $53,740 per year.
Rasmussen College Wisconsin earned the #10 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Green Bay, Rasmussen College Wisconsin is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Rasmussen College Wisconsin typically earn about $32,324 annually.
Saint Norbert College placed #11 among the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Saint Norbert College is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of De Pere. Design And Applied Arts graduates of Saint Norbert College earn a median of about $37,856 a year early in their careers.
Madison Area Technical College earned the #12 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Madison Area Technical College is a public school located in the city of Madison. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Madison Area Technical College typically earn about $30,710 annually.
University Of Wisconsin Green Bay landed the #13 spot for design and applied arts salaries this year. Set in the city of Green Bay, University Of Wisconsin Green Bay is a public institution. Design And Applied Arts graduates of University Of Wisconsin Green Bay earn a median of about $42,182 a year early in their careers.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College came in at #14 for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Green Bay, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is a public institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College typically earn about $28,108 annually.
Western Technical College La Cross placed #15 among the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Set in the city of La Crosse, Western Technical College La Cross is a public institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Western Technical College La Cross typically earn about $34,819 annually.
Mount Mary College placed #16 among the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Mount Mary College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Milwaukee. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Mount Mary College typically earn about $36,199 annually.
Moraine Park Technical College earned the #17 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Fond du Lac, Moraine Park Technical College is a public institution. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Moraine Park Technical College make a median of around $21,388 per year.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their design and applied arts graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 17 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.