ROI Major

Science Technologies, Other at University of Wisconsin - Stout

WI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 41.99

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Science Technologies, Other degree from University of Wisconsin - Stout earn a median salary of $64,812 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $68,151. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.7 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$48,119

Typical Career

$64,812

Top Performers

$85,005

Estimated break-even: 7.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$432

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,401. Most students can comfortably afford about a $432 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Wisconsin buys what costs $0.95 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Manufacturing, Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Manufacturing 18.9%
Educational Services 14.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 10.2%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$68,151

Nominal: $64,812 in Wisconsin (COL 95.1% of national avg) · 5.2% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

7.7 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $26,278 $37,925 $48,536
5 Years After Graduation $48,119 $64,812 $85,005
10 Years After Graduation $58,956 $87,389 $120,677

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $64,812 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WI, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $64,812 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9510) = $68,151 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Science Technologies, Other program at the University of Wisconsin - Stout experience a significant increase in earnings over time. With median earnings of $37,925 one year after graduation, this figure rises to $64,812 after five years and reaches $87,389 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $68,151.42 nationally, indicating that graduates can expect a competitive salary relative to their peers across the country.

The top industries for graduates include Manufacturing (18.9%), Educational Services (14.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (10.2%), suggesting diverse career opportunities. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 7.7 years, indicating a reasonable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the program appears to offer a solid financial trajectory and a variety of career paths, making it a viable option for students interested in this field.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Science Technologies, Other degree at University of Wisconsin - Stout stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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