| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design | Milwaukee |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Eau Claire |
Our 2025 ranking of the top illustration schools in Wisconsin. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) has an Illustration BFA program that highlights collaborative projects with real clients, professional internships, and degree-enhancing minors such as Book Arts, Advertising, and Digital Media Production. The program culminates with the Illustration Thesis Project, Portfolio, and student-designed MIAD Exhibition. In addition to creating works for The New Yorker, HBO, Amazon Studios, Time, Nike, and Variety, MIAD illustration graduates have landed positions at places such as Hallmark, Estée Lauder, Walt Disney Animation, Harley-Davidson, Kohl’s Corporate, Milwaukee Public Television, and Kimberly-Clark. Some graduates have also gone on to launch their own agencies and studios such as THIEL Design and Studio8Design.
The College of Arts and Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UW-Eau Claire or UWEC) houses the Department of Art and Design. Within the department is an Integrative Visual Arts BFA program with an Illustration focus. Program benefits include field trips Chicago and New York; professional workshops and lectures by visiting artists; study abroad experiences in Paris or Rome; access to UW-Eau Claire Foster Gallery—the largest art gallery in the Eau Claire area; and student organizations such as the Graphic Communications Design Club and Art Student Association (ASA). UWEC alumni go on to land creative roles at places as Marvel Entertainment, IBM, Microsoft, and Hyatt Hotels.
