Cost, debt & salary

Is University of Wisconsin–Madison worth it? What it costs, and what graduates earn

You would borrow a median $20,484 — about $233 a month for ten years. Graduates earn a median $73,792 ten years after starting, so the debt clears in roughly 0.6 years of the salary premium.

B

Is it worth the money?

Yes — you clear the borrowing faster than at most US universities.

You borrow $20,484 median federal debt at graduation
You repay $233/mo standard 10-year federal plan
You earn $73,792 median, 10 years after entry · beats 85%
Debt clears in 0.6 yrs ranked 130 of 810

What that feels like each month Repayment against the salary that has to cover it.

Gross monthly pay
$6,149
Loan repayment
$233
Share of your pay
3.8%
0%15% — the comfort line25%

Under roughly 15% of gross pay, repayment is generally considered manageable alongside rent and living costs.

Cut the debt before you borrow it

Every dollar you win is a dollar you never repay — and it moves the 0.6-year payback above. We list 1 scholarship tied to University of Wisconsin–Madison.

USA University of Wisconsin–Madison King Morgridge Scholarship...
See all 1 University of Wisconsin–Madison scholarships →

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How University of Wisconsin–Madison compares Against the 810 US universities we grade on payback.

The typical graded university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt. University of Wisconsin–Madison clears its debt faster than that, and its graduates earn $34,272 a year more than a US worker with only a high-school diploma.

Nearby universityGradeDebtEarningsPayback
Marquette University Wisconsin B $23,940 $78,257 0.6 yrs
Milwaukee School of Engineering Wisconsin A $27,000 $89,070 0.5 yrs
University of Wisconsin - Platteville Wisconsin C $21,977 $61,760 1 yrs
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Wisconsin C $20,909 $58,561 1.1 yrs
University of Wisconsin - Stout Wisconsin C $23,000 $58,084 1.2 yrs

University of Wisconsin–Madison — the money questions

How much do graduates of University of Wisconsin–Madison earn?
Median earnings are $73,792 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled — from tax records, not a survey. That is higher than 85% of the US universities we hold figures for.
How much debt will I have at University of Wisconsin–Madison?
The median graduate leaves with $20,484 of federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $233 a month — roughly 3.8% of the median graduate's monthly pay before tax.
How long does a degree from University of Wisconsin–Madison take to pay for itself?
About 0.6 years of the salary premium — the amount graduates earn above the $39,520 a US worker with only a high-school diploma makes. That ranks it 130 of 810 US universities we grade on payback.
Can scholarships reduce this debt?
Yes — we list 1 scholarship tied to University of Wisconsin–Madison. Each award you win comes straight off the borrowing above, and the payback figure falls with it.
Do these numbers apply to my subject?
No. The Department of Education publishes one figure per institution, so nursing, engineering and fine art students at University of Wisconsin–Madison all sit inside the same median. Treat it as the size of the financial risk, not a salary forecast for your course.
University of Wisconsin–Madison profile Programmes at University of Wisconsin–Madison University of Wisconsin–Madison scholarships University of Wisconsin–Madison review & grade Compare with Marquette University Payback across Wisconsin What University of Wisconsin–Madison costs Student loan record SAT scores & admission Fastest-paying US degrees Lowest student debt How we calculate this

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard — earnings and debt cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject taught at the institution. Figures imported 28 Aug 2026. This page is information, not financial advice.