Active Report Report ID: EDU-239309-2026

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Milwaukee, WI 53202-6003

Acceptance rate60.54%Broad access
Tuition$43,743Published sticker
Avg. net price$26,541After aid
Graduation rate66.95%150% time
Median salary$41,17410yr post-entry

About Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is a private university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enrolling about 837 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 60.54% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $41,174 among students who received federal aid.

Key findings

  • Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design charges 49% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($43,743).
  • Versus the Wisconsin median, sticker tuition is about 4.4×.
  • Completion within 150% of normal time is 66.95%.
  • Median earnings 10 years after entry are $41,174.

Research findings

01

Finding

Modeled return on investment at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is strong.

Estimated ROI reaches about 288% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.

— Evidence from EDsmart Data analysis

Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.

Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.

Cost benchmarks

Benchmark Median Tuition Median Net Price Count
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design$43,743$26,5411
Private Non-profit (national median)$29,3251,444
Wisconsin (state median)$9,856$12,25254
Urban (City) (locale median)$15,200$20,0531,346
United States (national median)$11,900$17,156

Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.

Cost

Average net price is 39% below published tuition at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Source College Scorecard + EDsmart aggregatesMethod Sticker vs net; peer mediansUpdated 2026 extractCoverage Undergraduate (Title IV net price)Confidence Federal extract

Key findings

  • Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design's average net price ($26,541) is 39% below published tuition ($43,743).
  • Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design charges 49% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($43,743).
  • Versus the Wisconsin median, sticker tuition is about 4.4×.
Published sticker

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design tuition

Published undergraduate tuition $43,743

Finding Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design charges 49% above the national private non-profit median tuition.

Evidence Published tuition is $43,743. That is 49% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Wisconsin median ($9,856), sticker tuition is about 4.4×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 3.7×.

Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.

Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.

Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.

Evidence: published tuition at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.

Evidence: average net price at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.

Average net price

What undergraduates typically pay

Finding Average net price at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is $26,541.

Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $26,541 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $14,288 above the Wisconsin median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $6,488 above the locale median.

Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.

Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.

Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.

Key takeaway Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 39% lower after grants and scholarships.

School guide

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design: research record

Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.

Research findings

Interpretation

The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.

Financial profile

Annual tuition

$43,743

Avg. net price

$26,541

Net price by family income

Income bracketAvg. annual net price
$0–$30,000$21,419
$30,001–$48,000$22,531
$48,001–$75,000$22,440
$75,001–$110,000$26,746
$110,001+$32,540

Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $174,972. See cost investigation.

Student outcomes

First-year retention79.5%

Share of first-year students returning the following fall.

$29,841Median earnings (6 years after entry)

Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.

Admissions landscape

  • Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
  • Yield: 30% of admitted students enrolled.
  • Average SAT: 1155

See Admissions for the full funnel.

Is Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design a good school?

Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.

EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.

Earnings outcomes
Campus snapshot

More from the data

Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.

Campus

Location

Milwaukee, WI

City / state

ZIP
53202-6003
NCES locale
City

Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is 32% above the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).

Control

Institution type

Private Non-profit

Control

Region
Great Lakes
Carnegie
Not applicable, not in Carnegie universe (not accredited or non-degree-granting)

Size

Enrollment

837

Total enrollment

Undergraduate
873
Full-time share
99%

Student aid

Debt & aid

$27,000

Median federal loan debt

Pell grant share
37.29%
Cost detail

Total Cost, Aid & Default

Total Cost of Attendance

$106,164Estimated 4-year total cost
$26,541Average annual net price (after aid)
$174,9724-year tuition
$10,955Room & board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$1,100Books & supplies (annual estimate)
$55,798Estimated annual sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$223,192Estimated 4-year sticker (before aid)

Tuition vs average net price after aid for Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.

Financial Aid by Income Level

37.29% Undergraduates receiving aid through grants
78.19% Undergraduates receiving aid through loans

Financial aid distribution by income level.

Student Loan Default Rate

0.00% 3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)

The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design was 0.00%.

Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.

Multi-year tracker

Tuition tracker

Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in that year.

Reporting years in the table below: 20132023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).

Year In-state tuition & fees Out-of-state tuition & fees Average net price
2013$30,989$30,989$23,541
2014$32,050$32,050$22,875
2015$33,560$33,560$23,614
2016$35,020$35,020$24,328
2017$36,230$36,230$23,972
2018$37,360$37,360$24,832
2019$38,550$38,550$24,638
2020$39,560$39,560$26,046
2021$39,560$39,560$26,254
2022$41,140$41,140$24,944
2023$42,268$42,268$27,514

Sticker tuition and net price over time

Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.

College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).

Net price by family income

Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).

Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.

Access

How difficult is it to get in?

Acceptance Rate

60.54%Acceptance rate
1,059Total applicants
665Students admitted
200First-time students enrolled
30.08%Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)

This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.

Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.

Test Scores

1155SAT average

Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).

Academic Requirements

3.20Estimated median GPA
3.0–3.4Estimated GPA range

Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.

Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.

Student body

Enrollment & Student Demographics

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design reported total enrollment of about 837 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 19% male and 81% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (63.9%), Hispanic or Latino (18.3%), and Two or More Races (6.1%). About 37.29% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 30.1% of students are first-generation college students.

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

99.2% Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in 2024 is 837 students.

Undergraduate enrollment is about 873 students.

Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.

Retention Rate over Time

79.5%
2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.

Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

63.9%White or Caucasian
9Reported race/ethnicity groups

Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.

  • White or Caucasian63.9%
  • Hispanic or Latino18.3%
  • Two or More Races6.1%
  • Black or African American6.0%
  • Asian4.7%
  • Race/ethnicity unknown0.4%
  • American Indian or Alaska Native0.2%
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander0.2%
  • Non-Resident Alien0.2%

College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).

Outcomes

Do students complete their programs?

Time to Complete

58.05% 100% Completion Time

66.95% 150% Completion Time

In 2024, 58.05% of students graduating from Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design completed their program within 100% "normal time".

Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.

Completions by Sex (Top Programs)

  • 05.0041: 17% male / 83% female
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General: 18% male / 82% female
  • Graphic Design: 41% male / 59% female

IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).

Completions by Race & Ethnicity

147White or Caucasian
7Reported groups

Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.

  • White or Caucasian147
  • Hispanic or Latino32
  • Two or More Races14
  • Asian11
  • Black or African American10
  • American Indian or Alaska Native1
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander0

Summed across program completion records in our extract.

Outcomes & academic profile

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design graduates earn a median of $41,174 ten years after entry

Source College ScorecardMethod Earnings + debt + net price modelsUpdated 2026 extractCoverage Institution-wideConfidence Federal extract

Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.

Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $41,174. Median federal loan debt: $27,000. Average net price used in cost models: $26,541.

Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.

Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.

Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.

Key takeaway Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design graduates report median earnings of $41,174 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.

Return on Investment

288%Modeled return on investment
$27,000Median student debt
$41,174Median annual earnings (10 years)
65.58%Debt-to-earnings ratio
6.6 yearsEstimated payback period

Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.

Top Programs by Completions

Largest 5 programs by IPEDS completions (6 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).

  1. 05.0041 89
  2. Interior Architecture 11

IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.

Employment Outcomes

$41,174Median earnings (10 years after entry)
$29,841Median earnings (6 years after entry)
$38,748Median earnings (8 years after entry)
89.26%Working & not enrolled (8-year cohort share)

Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design graduates.

How financially powerful is this institution?

Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.

Institutional endowment

$3.8M

End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023

Start of year: $3.7M

Year change: $93,921

  • Wisconsin median 0.09× the median ($41.1M)
  • Great Lakes median 0.12× the median ($31.8M)
  • U.S. median 0.14× the median ($26.4M)

Per FTE: $4,214

  • Wisconsin median 0.22× the median ($18,809)
  • Great Lakes median 0.25× the median ($16,690)
  • U.S. median 0.35× the median ($12,100)

Instructional Resources

  • Full-time faculty share: 32.2%
    • Wisconsin median 32.3 pp below median (64.5%)
    • Great Lakes median 25.9 pp below median (58.1%)
    • U.S. median 25.8 pp below median (58.0%)
  • Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,527
    • Wisconsin median 0.78× the median ($8,323)
    • Great Lakes median 0.81× the median ($8,046)
    • U.S. median 0.86× the median ($7,615)
  • Instructional expenditure per FTE: $9,256
    • Wisconsin median near the median ($9,506)
    • Great Lakes median 1.2× the median ($7,690)
    • U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,288)

Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design at a glance

Institution snapshot

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Milwaukee, WI 53202-6003 · Private Non-profit · Great Lakes

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is a private non-profit institution in Milwaukee, WI, classified as Not applicable, not in Carnegie universe (not accredited or non-degree-granting).

Tuition$43,743
Avg. net price$26,541
Enrollment837
Acceptance rate60.54%
Completion (150%)66.95%
Average SAT1155
Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
05.0041Fine/Studio Arts, GeneralGraphic Design
Largest enrollment groups
White or Caucasian63.9%
Hispanic or Latino18.3%
Two or More Races6.1%
Nearby

Schools near Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Other campuses in Milwaukee, WI when available, plus nearby institutions in Wisconsin.

Peers

Similar schools

Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within Wisconsin, then by similar ownership and admissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design located?

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is located in Milwaukee, WI.

What is Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design's acceptance rate?

The acceptance rate at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is 60.5% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 1,059 applicants and 665 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.

What is Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design's tuition?

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $43,743 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $26,541 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.

How much does Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design cost?

Reported tuition is $43,743 and average net price is $26,541 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $10,955 annually.

Why is Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design's net price so much lower than tuition?

At Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, published tuition is $43,743 while average net price is $26,541—about 39% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.

What explains Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design's return on investment in EDsmart Data?

EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($26,541), completion (67.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($41,174). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.

What is the student body demographics at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design?

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design reports undergraduate enrollment of about 873 students, White (63.9%), Hispanic or Latino (18.3%) in federal College Scorecard data.

How many first-generation students attend Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design?

About 30.1% of students at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design are first-generation college students.

What test scores do students need for Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design?

Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design reports midpoint SAT about 1155.

What do graduates of Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design earn?

Median earnings are $29,841 six years after entry and $41,174 ten years after entry.

What is the graduation rate at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design?

The 150%-time completion rate is 67.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.

How much debt do Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology & Data Scope

This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.

Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.