Bachelor's+12% vs national median11,076 grads tracked
Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Ranked 49th of 387 bachelor's programs in Social Sciences by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$41,928
middle 50%: $28,950 – $57,714
Median · 5 years out
$67,041
middle 50%: $48,184 – $92,728
Median · 10 years out
$92,469
middle 50%: $64,351 – $140,325
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Social Sciences (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Madison social science graduates start with a median $42k. By year 10, earnings hit $92k.
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
6.4 yrs
≈ $7,565 total interest
Same major at other universities
Sacred Heart University
$68,346 · 5 yrs out
Utah State University
$68,089 · 5 yrs out
Gustavus Adolphus College
$67,633 · 5 yrs out
Shenandoah University
$67,570 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Dallas
$67,561 · 5 yrs out
Empire State University
$67,290 · 5 yrs out
Miami University
$66,986 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Queens College
$66,596 · 5 yrs out
Clark Atlanta University
$66,474 · 5 yrs out
James Madison University
$66,133 · 5 yrs out
Indiana Wesleyan University
$65,986 · 5 yrs out
University of Utah
$65,929 · 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