ROI Major

Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods at University of Wisconsin - Stout

WI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 13.12

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods degree from University of Wisconsin - Stout earn a median salary of $49,797 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $52,363. The degree typically pays for itself in 13.8 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

$41,006

Typical Career

$49,797

Top Performers

$57,000

Estimated break-even: 13.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$332

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,150. Most students can comfortably afford about a $332 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x 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

$52,363

Nominal: $49,797 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).

13.8 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 $27,653 $37,225 $46,480
5 Years After Graduation $41,006 $49,797 $57,000
10 Years After Graduation $46,408 $55,022 $62,659

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 $49,797 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)
= $49,797 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9510) = $52,363 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods program at the University of Wisconsin - Stout experience a positive earnings trajectory over time. The median earnings one year post-graduation stand at $37,225, which increases to $49,797 after five years and reaches $55,022 after a decade. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $52,362.78, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive income relative to national standards despite Wisconsin's cost-of-living index being slightly lower than the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Manufacturing (18.9%), Educational Services (14.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (10.2%), reflecting a diverse range of opportunities. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 13.8 years, suggesting a moderate return on investment. Overall, while the path may require a longer commitment to achieve financial parity, the potential for career growth in various sectors offers a viable and rewarding professional trajectory.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods 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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