U.S. median for this major: $48,948.
College Scorecard field of study; 111 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 39% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,552.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,679. College Scorecard.
University of Wisconsin-Madison English: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses University of Wisconsin-Madison's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $4,200 | $17,640 | 1.1 years |
| $30–48k | $4,101 | $17,224 | 1.1 years |
| $48–75k | $8,134 | $34,163 | 2.2 years |
| $75–110k | $17,763 | $74,605 | 4.8 years |
| $110k+ | $27,292 | $114,626 | 7.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (73% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of English graduates 4 years after graduating ($53,197) minus $37,564 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,633 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
English at Wisconsin colleges
Every Wisconsin college we cover that reports English graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | $53,197 | $20,500 | $17,354 | 90% |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | $51,089 | $24,495 | $14,054 | 57% |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | $48,178 | $26,000 | $14,305 | 46% |
| 4 | Lawrence University | $47,954 | — | $23,401 | 77% |
| 5 | Carthage College | $47,935 | $26,269 | $26,565 | 64% |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | $46,712 | $26,291 | $15,014 | 49% |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | $46,409 | $27,000 | $14,158 | 59% |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | $46,075 | $23,874 | $16,550 | 64% |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | $46,043 | $23,250 | $16,210 | 71% |
| 10 | Ripon College | $45,050 | — | $20,216 | 63% |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | $43,258 | $24,930 | $14,559 | 51% |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | $34,689 | — | $11,772 | 40% |
15 more Wisconsin colleges offer English but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for English graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Proofreaders and Copy Markers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.9% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at University of Wisconsin-Madison, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Acceptance rate: 45% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 90% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $73,792
- Full cost breakdown · all 99 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison
- History$58,343
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$58,565
- Journalism$75,967
- Linguistics—
- Philosophy$61,186
- Area Studies$55,733
University of Wisconsin-Madison English questions
How much do University of Wisconsin-Madison English graduates earn?
English graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison earn a median $53,197 four years after graduating and $28,526 one year after. The U.S. median for English graduates across 571 colleges is $48,948.
How much debt do University of Wisconsin-Madison English graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for English graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison is $20,500, about 39% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,552.
Is University of Wisconsin-Madison a good school for English in Wisconsin?
On pay, English graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison earn $53,197 four years out, $6,637 above the median for the same major across 12 Wisconsin colleges ($46,560) and $4,249 above the U.S. median ($48,948). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Wisconsin-Madison rank for English in Wisconsin?
Of 12 Wisconsin colleges reporting English graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do English graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $64,080 in the Madison, WI area and $72,040 nationally. Others include proofreaders and copy markers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Wisconsin-Madison English: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/english (College Scorecard and BLS data).