# University of Wisconsin-Madison: Geography (bachelor's)

Madison, WI. IPEDS 240444, CIP 45.07. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/geography

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $42,997
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $59,424 (U.S. median for this major: $57,751 across 116 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $20,250 (U.S. median $22,851)
- Rank in WI: 2 of 4 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the WI median for this major (4 colleges, $58,776): +$648
- Versus the U.S. median: +$1,673

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.2 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $59,424 minus $37,564 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WI (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| 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 | 3.4 years |
| 110k+ | $27,292 | $114,626 | 5.2 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Geography at WI colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | $62,589 | $23,983 | $14,158 | 59% |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | $59,424 | $20,250 | $17,354 | 90% |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | $58,129 | $21,212 | $16,550 | 64% |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | $57,604 | $27,000 | $15,014 | 49% |

## Careers
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists (SOC 17-1021): median wage $90,230 Madison, WI, $76,760 WI, $81,390 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.4% by 2035
- Geographers (SOC 19-3092): median wage not reported Madison, WI, $63,130 WI, $102,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs -2.1% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).