10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$37,034at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI · 119 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 116 · Federal debt reported for 67
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Positive payoff
+$37,034 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
8.7 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+15%Estimated return after 10 years
$73,645Observed earnings · year 5
$26,613Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $9,259 per year below this threshold.
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $12,414 housing and food allowance plus $3,178 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$106,450
$8,000Annual price+$74,450
$16,000Annual price+$42,450
$17,000Current college-wide context+$38,450
$24,000Annual price+$10,450
$32,000Annual price−$21,550
$40,000Annual price−$53,550
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- Land-grant institution
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
260 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Wisconsin run 6% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$17,354Average net price / year
$28,679Cost of attendance
$20,484Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$217/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$73,645Median earnings · year 5 after completion
89.5%Completion rate
45.2%Admission rate
1,427Average SAT score
29ACT midpoint
36,902Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about University of Wisconsin-Madison
What does University of Wisconsin-Madison cost?
University of Wisconsin-Madison reports an average annual net price of $17,354 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do University of Wisconsin-Madison graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $73,645 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do University of Wisconsin-Madison graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $20,484. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at University of Wisconsin-Madison worth the same?
No. The current release contains 119 field-and-degree records for University of Wisconsin-Madison; 116 report year-4 earnings and 67 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
55,471Students enrolled at any point
41,069Undergraduate students
14,402Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
84% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
1,112 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
80% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$66,099Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$68,972Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$80,089Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income74%
Middle income84%
Higher income86%
Undergraduate student composition
White59%
Black2%
Hispanic9%
Asian11%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$173,674Year 1
$247,770Year 5
$270,457Year 10
Computer Programming.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 11
$227,345Year 1
$367,068Year 5
$253,237Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 52
$233,071Year 1
$213,720Year 5
$222,989Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Doctoral, professional practice · Broad federal field 51
$74,975Year 1
$149,706Year 5
$194,221Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$102,923Year 1
$141,616Year 5
$179,208Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 14
$117,867Year 1
$145,638Year 5
$168,910Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$85,093Year 1
$133,745Year 5
$163,593Year 10
Applied Mathematics.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 27
$99,994Year 1
$157,775Year 5
$162,085Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$53,379Year 1
$78,974Year 4
$73,645Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Computer and Information Sciences, General · Master's Degree$196,9852Public Health · Doctoral Degree$169,3223Marketing · Master's Degree$166,6684Finance and Financial Management Services · Master's Degree$164,3715Business/Commerce, General · Master's Degree$160,0976Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods · Master's Degree$156,6897Engineering, General · Master's Degree$147,1018Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · First Professional Degree$139,210Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1MarketingMaster's Degree · $166,668 reported+111%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralMaster's Degree · $196,985 reported+59%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Public HealthDoctoral Degree · $169,322 reported+55%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt4Finance and Financial Management ServicesMaster's Degree · $164,371 reported+48%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree · $100,005 reported+47%vs same-degree national median$20,500federal debt6International BusinessBachelor's Degree · $106,783 reported+46%vs same-degree national median$14,000federal debt
Comparable colleges in WI
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Platteville, WI
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
- Annual net price
- $16,032
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $63,516
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -24%
University of Wisconsin-Stout
- Annual net price
- $17,490
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $60,587
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -38%
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
- Annual net price
- $16,210
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $58,854
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -43%
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
- Annual net price
- $16,550
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $57,697
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -48%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 119 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Master's Degree | $196,985 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Health | Doctoral Degree | $169,322 | Not available | 11 |
| Marketing | Master's Degree | $166,668 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Master's Degree | $164,371 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business/Commerce, General | Master's Degree | $160,097 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's Degree | $156,689 | Not available | Not reported |
| Engineering, General | Master's Degree | $147,101 | Not available | Not reported |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | First Professional Degree | $139,210 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Master's Degree | $129,743 | Not available | Not reported |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $127,913 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Doctoral Degree | $126,758 | Not available | 49 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Master's Degree | $125,492 | Not available | Not reported |
| Veterinary Medicine | First Professional Degree | $122,648 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | First Professional Degree | $122,428 | Not available | Not reported |
| Real Estate | Bachelor's Degree | $120,483 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $120,068 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $119,655 | $22,500 | 36 |
| Nuclear Engineering | Master's Degree | $118,214 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $113,710 | Not available | Not reported |
| Geography and Cartography | Master's Degree | $111,616 | Not available | Not reported |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $110,711 | $23,577 | Not reported |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Master's Degree | $109,392 | Not available | Not reported |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | Doctoral Degree | $107,552 | Not available | 22 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $107,207 | $21,500 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $107,090 | Not available | Not reported |
| International Business | Bachelor's Degree | $106,783 | $14,000 | Not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $106,521 | $22,250 | 2 |
| Insurance | Bachelor's Degree | $105,992 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Chemistry | Doctoral Degree | $105,406 | Not available | 56 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Doctoral Degree | $104,681 | Not available | 20 |
| Nuclear Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $102,449 | Not available | Not reported |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $101,676 | $21,947 | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $101,438 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $101,390 | $21,294 | Not reported |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $100,715 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $100,005 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $99,762 | $20,492 | 0 |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | $99,210 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | First Professional Degree | $96,720 | Not available | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $96,148 | $20,500 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every University of Wisconsin-Madison program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.