Master's+11% vs national median532 grads tracked
Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Ranked 19th of 151 master's programs in Social Sciences by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$62,944
middle 50%: $41,088 – $81,761
Median · 5 years out
$84,991
middle 50%: $54,634 – $125,050
Median · 10 years out
$99,441
middle 50%: $75,648 – $141,539
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Social Sciences (master's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Master's degree holders in Social Sciences earn a median of $63k in their first year. By year ten, median salaries reach $99k.
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
4.8 yrs
≈ $5,309 total interest
Same major at other universities
Georgia Institute of Technology
$87,210 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Hunter College
$86,744 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Queens College
$86,622 · 5 yrs out
University of Illinois Chicago
$86,191 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Austin
$85,978 · 5 yrs out
Clemson University
$85,788 · 5 yrs out
University of Utah
$84,874 · 5 yrs out
University of Connecticut
$84,347 · 5 yrs out
University of Virginia
$84,159 · 5 yrs out
Miami University
$84,083 · 5 yrs out
University of Oregon
$82,907 · 5 yrs out
Ohio State University (The)
$82,803 · 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
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
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$123,822 · 5 yrs out