U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 280 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 36% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,490.
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 Psychology: 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.
Psychology nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
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 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $4,101 | $17,224 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $8,134 | $34,163 | 1.6 years |
| $75–110k | $17,763 | $74,605 | 3.5 years |
| $110k+ | $27,292 | $114,626 | 5.4 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 Psychology graduates 4 years after graduating ($58,901) minus $37,564 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $21,337 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.
Psychology at Wisconsin colleges
Every Wisconsin college we cover that reports Psychology 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 | Marquette University | $60,338 | $24,891 | $31,487 | 83% |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | $58,901 | $21,215 | $17,354 | 90% |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | $58,458 | $22,500 | $16,550 | 64% |
| 4 | Marian University | $56,434 | $28,468 | $21,937 | 44% |
| 5 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | $55,486 | $27,000 | $36,201 | 68% |
| 6 | Carroll University | $55,446 | $27,000 | $15,193 | 71% |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | $55,173 | $21,935 | $16,210 | 71% |
| 8 | Carthage College | $54,636 | $23,250 | $26,565 | 64% |
| 9 | Lakeland University | $53,448 | $38,866 | $24,212 | 42% |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | $53,242 | $23,000 | $14,054 | 57% |
| 11 | Viterbo University | $52,596 | — | $21,260 | 68% |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | $52,366 | $21,190 | $17,490 | 55% |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | $52,328 | $27,000 | $15,014 | 49% |
| 14 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | $52,284 | $26,000 | $14,158 | 59% |
| 15 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | $51,721 | $26,000 | $14,305 | 46% |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | $51,083 | $24,225 | $16,032 | 56% |
| 17 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | $51,024 | $24,400 | $14,559 | 51% |
| 18 | Ripon College | $50,762 | $27,000 | $20,216 | 63% |
| 19 | Edgewood College | $49,536 | $27,000 | $26,113 | 60% |
| 20 | Wisconsin Lutheran College | $49,220 | $27,000 | $23,245 | 64% |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | $48,711 | $25,737 | $13,369 | 48% |
| 22 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | $46,647 | $24,375 | $11,772 | 40% |
| 23 | Lawrence University | $45,971 | $15,000 | $23,401 | 77% |
| 24 | Beloit College | $45,715 | $26,840 | $21,526 | 71% |
| 25 | Mount Mary University | $45,377 | $26,987 | $20,144 | 43% |
| 26 | Alverno College | $45,066 | $31,250 | $22,540 | 49% |
| 27 | Saint Norbert College | $44,634 | $27,000 | $26,172 | 71% |
| 28 | University of Wisconsin-Superior | $44,116 | $24,833 | $12,220 | 42% |
Careers for Psychology graduates
Social Science Research Assistants
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% 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
- Sociology$58,007
- Social Work$54,375
University of Wisconsin-Madison Psychology questions
How much do University of Wisconsin-Madison Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison earn a median $58,901 four years after graduating and $31,985 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do University of Wisconsin-Madison Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison is $21,215, about 36% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is University of Wisconsin-Madison a good school for Psychology in Wisconsin?
On pay, Psychology graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison earn $58,901 four years out, $6,899 above the median for the same major across 28 Wisconsin colleges ($52,002) and $8,933 above the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Wisconsin-Madison rank for Psychology in Wisconsin?
Of 28 Wisconsin colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks 2nd. The highest is Marquette University at $60,338.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $50,090 in the Madison, WI area and $61,990 nationally.
Is University of Wisconsin-Madison the right fit for your family?
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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 Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).