Design and Applied Arts at Madison Area Technical College

Madison Area Technical College's Design and Applied Arts program produces solidly middle-of-the-pack results, both nationally and within Wisconsin. Graduates earn $30,710 their first year—beating the national median by nearly $3,000 and landing above 60% of similar programs in the state. However, Wisconsin has some notably stronger options: Waukesha County Technical College graduates earn $39,000, nearly $8,400 more annually, while Fox Valley and Rasmussen both exceed $32,000.

The debt picture is manageable but not exceptional. At $15,750, graduates carry slightly more than the national median, though the 0.51 debt-to-earnings ratio means they owe roughly half their first-year salary—a workable burden for an associate degree. What's less encouraging is the lack of financial differentiation: this program's debt matches Wisconsin's state median exactly, meaning students aren't getting a value advantage here compared to peers across the state.

For families choosing between Wisconsin technical colleges, this program offers reliable but unremarkable outcomes. If your child is committed to Madison specifically—perhaps for location or program fit—these numbers work. But if flexibility exists, investigating why Waukesha County Technical College's similar program produces 27% higher earnings would be worthwhile. This is functional career preparation, just not the strongest option available in-state.