WhatGradsMake
Doctoral (Research)+9% vs national median51 grads tracked

Public Administration and Social Service Professions at University of Wisconsin - Madison

Ranked 8th of 33 doctoral (research) programs in Public Administration and Social Service Professions by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$82,142
middle 50%: $68,626 – $103,597
Median · 5 years out
$109,693
middle 50%: $84,083 – $125,963
Median · 10 years out
n/a
not enough graduates to report

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Public Administration and Social Service Professions (doctoral (research)) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Graduates of University of Wisconsin - Madison's doctoral (research) program in Public Administration and Social Service Professions earn a median $82,142 one year after graduating, rising to $109,693 by year five. Five years out, earnings run 9% above the national median of $100,394 for this field, ranking 8th of 33 reporting programs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
3.8 yrs
≈ $4,014 total interest

Same major at other universities

University of Michigan
$137,588 · 5 yrs out
George Mason University
$130,148 · 5 yrs out
University of Colorado Denver
$120,903 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Dallas
$114,273 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Stony Brook
$112,807 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Graduate School & University Center
$110,405 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$106,181 · 5 yrs out
Ohio State University (The)
$104,398 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Commonwealth University
$103,104 · 5 yrs out
University of Alabama
$102,996 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Austin
$102,715 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Bloomington
$102,614 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at University of Wisconsin - Madison

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$227,440 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$191,060 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$179,858 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$176,530 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$153,901 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$153,036 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$143,232 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$140,310 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$139,926 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$134,767 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$133,218 · 5 yrs out
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)
$127,595 · 5 yrs out

Related fields of study

Community Organization and Advocacy
Compare universities
Human Services, General
Compare universities
Public Administration
Compare universities
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other
Compare universities
Public Policy Analysis
Compare universities
Social Work
Compare universities