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University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI 35,665 Undergrads 88.6% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$27,770
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,928
After Aid
Median Earnings
$73,792
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$16,928
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$73,792
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate88.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS86.7%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
43.4%
SAT Avg
1,402
SAT Reading
25th: 66068075th: 730
SAT Math
25th: 70073075th: 780
ACT Composite
25th: 282975th: 32
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$621k
+$224k
+$137k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$560k
+$164k
+$76k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$521k
+$125k
+$37k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
38
124%
Full Cost$28k/yr
47
37%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return165%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-6%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,277
Earnings (5yr)
$96,130
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,752
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Agricultural Engineering
BachCIP: 1403
Median Debt
$19,970
Earnings (5yr)
$78,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Agricultural Public Services
BachCIP: 0108
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,239
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$24,699
Earnings (5yr)
$55,860
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,024
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$16,166
Earnings (5yr)
$50,446
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$20,196
Earnings (5yr)
$51,831
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Astronomy and Astrophysics
BachCIP: 4002
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,370
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$20,492
Earnings (5yr)
$94,667
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Botany/Plant Biology
BachCIP: 2603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$92,203
Lifetime Value Added
+$224k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$21,638
Earnings (5yr)
$102,023
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$73,896
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$83,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,874
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$25,247
Earnings (5yr)
$63,832
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$118,588
Lifetime Value Added
+$421k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$145,337
Lifetime Value Added
+$619k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$17,875
Earnings (5yr)
$58,646
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,074
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$39,796
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$84,958
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$93,494
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Engineering Mechanics
BachCIP: 1411
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$86,480
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,989
Earnings (5yr)
$53,044
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$19,254
Earnings (5yr)
$52,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,181
Earnings (5yr)
$106,484
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (5yr)
$39,038
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Food Science and Technology
BachCIP: 0110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5218
Median Debt
$18,737
Earnings (5yr)
$73,814
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Genetics
BachCIP: 2608
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,301
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$18,689
Earnings (5yr)
$62,158
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$71,564
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Geological/Geophysical Engineering
BachCIP: 1439
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$86,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,830
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,333
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$23,481
Earnings (5yr)
$110,022
Lifetime Value Added
+$358k
Insurance
BachCIP: 5217
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$110,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$362k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$103,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$306k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$17,732
Earnings (5yr)
$61,225
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,253
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Landscape Architecture
BachCIP: 0406
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,154
Lifetime Value Added
-$362k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$126,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$482k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$99,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$276k
Materials Engineering
BachCIP: 1418
Median Debt
$20,195
Earnings (5yr)
$85,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$172k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$20,080
Earnings (5yr)
$100,406
Lifetime Value Added
+$286k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$19,450
Earnings (5yr)
$97,845
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,144
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,311
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$18,875
Earnings (5yr)
$53,967
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate)
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,938
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Nuclear Engineering
BachCIP: 1423
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$110,897
Lifetime Value Added
+$364k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,645
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,593
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,607
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$20,138
Earnings (5yr)
$119,949
Lifetime Value Added
+$431k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,659
Earnings (5yr)
$81,103
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,975
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$337k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,761
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1604
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,391
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,400
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$17,212
Earnings (5yr)
$60,766
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,063
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,263
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Zoology/Animal Biology
BachCIP: 2607
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$49,352
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$106,036
Lifetime Value Added
+$460k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
MastCIP: 1405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$97,306
Lifetime Value Added
+$385k
Biotechnology
MastCIP: 2612
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$110,281
Lifetime Value Added
+$496k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$108,649
Lifetime Value Added
+$539k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$50,847
Earnings (5yr)
$160,846
Lifetime Value Added
+$926k
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
MastCIP: 0403
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$65,238
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$25,900
Earnings (5yr)
$63,458
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$39,736
Earnings (5yr)
$61,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
MastCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,441
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$134,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$706k
Engineering, General
MastCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$133,037
Lifetime Value Added
+$690k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Finance and Financial Management Services
MastCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$180,896
Lifetime Value Added
+$1095k
Fine and Studio Arts
MastCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$33,102
Earnings (5yr)
$47,699
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Genetics
MastCIP: 2608
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,446
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Industrial Engineering
MastCIP: 1435
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,218
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$33,938
Earnings (5yr)
$56,311
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$165,191
Lifetime Value Added
+$962k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$125,310
Lifetime Value Added
+$625k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,839
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$38,500
Earnings (5yr)
$82,955
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$20,213
Earnings (5yr)
$81,260
Lifetime Value Added
+$247k
Real Estate
MastCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$172,827
Lifetime Value Added
+$1027k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$40,685
Earnings (5yr)
$73,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
MastCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,642
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Doctoral Degrees
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
DocCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$107,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$289k
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,600
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Communication and Media Studies
DocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$62,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
DocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$106,421
Lifetime Value Added
+$329k
Curriculum and Instruction
DocCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$63,482
Earnings (5yr)
$75,611
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Economics
DocCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$136,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$558k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
DocCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$94,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
English Language and Literature, General
DocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,232
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$122,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$397k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
DocCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,221
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Sociology
DocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$81,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Professional Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
ProfCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$120,354
Lifetime Value Added
+$383k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
ProfCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$74,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$104,344
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$179,642
Earnings (5yr)
$191,376
Lifetime Value Added
+$894k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$127,000
Earnings (5yr)
$143,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$552k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
ProfCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$64,000
Earnings (5yr)
$78,312
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Veterinary Medicine
ProfCIP: 0180
Median Debt
$129,925
Earnings (5yr)
$108,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.