Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
- Graduation Rate
- 65% C+
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $41,174 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $26,541 D
- 55% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 61% B
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 12.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.1 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $12.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,183,364.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
-
Inventor rate in the top 13% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.
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Every $1 invested returns $12.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 2.0%
- Top 13%
- Patents
- 124
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 358
- Downstream influence
Why Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Matters
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is a private special-focus institution in Milwaukee, WI and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an unusually high rate of inventors and patents and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Special-Focus Institution
- Carnegie Class
- Special Focus
- Enrollment
- 837
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Visual & Performing Arts
Why students choose Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 61% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $26,541 a year after grants and scholarships — 55% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $41,174 ten years after enrolling — 1% above the typical college, against $27,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 45% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.61 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
At the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, we find a vibrant community of 837 students who are passionate about visual and performing arts. With a 61% acceptance rate, this school attracts individuals who are dedicated to honing their creative skills. Students dive into programs that explore everything from graphic design to fine arts, allowing for a rich blend of artistic expression and technical training.
After graduation, students can expect to earn around $41,174 within ten years, which gives a decent outlook for those entering creative fields. While the school does not provide extensive mobility data, the earnings figure suggests that graduates can find solid opportunities in their chosen careers. Affordability is also a consideration, especially since 37% of students receive Pell Grants, which can significantly help with financial barriers.
When we look at the numbers, the net price after aid stands at $26,541, and the median debt is $27,000. This means that while there’s a financial commitment, many students find a way to manage it successfully. Those who thrive here are often self-motivated and passionate about their craft, making the most of the hands-on learning environment that the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design offers.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 61% of applicants receiving an offer. The graduation rate is roughly 65%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 61%
- Retention Rate
- 80%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 32%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,527
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.55
- First-Gen Students
- 30%
- Applicants
- 1,052
- Admitted
- 673
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is $43,743, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $26,541. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $21,419 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $43,743
- Out-of-State
- $43,743
- Avg Net Price
- $26,541
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 37%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 78%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $21,419
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $22,531
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $22,440
- Family Income $110K+
- $32,540
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design report median earnings of $41,174, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $29,841
- 8 Years
- $38,748
- 10 Years
- $41,174
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.66x
- Earning > $25K
- 49%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (64)
- 44%
- 100% (64)
- 44%
- 100% (64)
- 44%
- 100% (64)
- 44%
How Milwaukee Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $26,541/year ($106,164 total). Graduates earn $41,174 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,289,528 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,183,364 (12.1× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 65% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $106,164
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,289,528
- Net Return
- $1,183,364
- ROI Multiple
- 12.1×
- Cost Per Year
- $26,541
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 65%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.55%, well above the typical college. About 4.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 37.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $89,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.55%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 37.6%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 4.1%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $121,192
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 13% nationally), with 124 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 2.03%
- Top 13% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 124
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 358
- Downstream influence
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $3,690,014
- Federal Grants
- $2,219,189
- Investment Income
- $-233,752
Top Programs
The fields Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Visual & Performing Arts 93% $44,394 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- C-Art Director$105,180 · 5% growthAdaptable 60
- C-Animator$86,120 · 3% growthAdaptable 60
- D+Fashion Designer$79,600 · 1% growthAdaptable 60
- D+Interior Designer$62,510 · 4% growthAdaptable 60
- C-Museum Curator$59,880 · 8% growthAdaptable 60
- D+Graphic Designer$58,910 · 3% growthVulnerable 48
- D+Photographer$40,760 · 4% growthAdaptable 60
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 61% of applicants receiving an offer. The graduation rate is roughly 65%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is $43,743, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $26,541. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $21,419 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
Is Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design report median earnings of $41,174, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.55%, well above the typical college. About 4.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 37.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $89,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. Its economic connectedness score is 1.61, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 13% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.
- Columbus College of Art & DesignColumbus, OH · Close peer59% grad $40,664 earn 68% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Cleveland Institute of ArtCleveland, OH · Close peer62% grad $42,509 earn 61% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Minneapolis College of Art and DesignMinneapolis, MN · Close peer59% grad $40,873 earn 48% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Saint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeSaint Mary of the Woods, IN · Close peer49% grad $43,845 earn 72% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar size
- Union Commonwealth UniversityBarbourville, KY · Close peer34% grad $42,002 earn 63% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Drury UniversitySpringfield, MO · Close peer64% grad $40,694 earn 58% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. Its economic connectedness score is 1.61, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 13% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note