Bachelor's · Madison, Wisconsin

Is Fine and Studio Arts at University of Wisconsin-Madison worth it?

Medium confidence Medium confidence: 40–99 graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back slowly: graduates typically recover the cost in about 9.3 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $41,007; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $52,293; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $16,750; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $70k (likely $70k – $81k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $11k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in WI; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 9.3 years (likely 6.5–16.0); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$155k (likely −$224k – −$88k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: −$5k (likely −$139k – $157k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 90%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in: not reported / ≤ 20%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare Fine and Studio Arts at other schools

🎨 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward art, design & performance majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP 2-D Art and Design
AP Drawing
AP Art History
AP Music Theory

IB Higher Level

Visual Arts HL
Music HL or Theatre HL or Film HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's)$196,985
Public Health (Doctoral)$169,322
Marketing (Master's)$166,668
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's)$164,371
Business/Commerce, General (Master's)$160,097
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's)$156,689
Engineering, General (Master's)$147,101
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First professional)$139,210
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Master's)$129,743
Medicine (First professional)$127,913
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Doctoral)$126,758
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's)$125,492

Fine and Studio Arts at other schools in Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh$50,189
University of Wisconsin-Stout$49,967
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater$49,506
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee$44,788
Lawrence University$44,313
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire$42,995
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point$42,771
University of Wisconsin-Platteville$42,271
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay$41,997
University of Wisconsin-River Falls$41,705