Business Administration, Management and Operations at Rasmussen University-Wisconsin

Rasmussen University-Wisconsin's business program charges premium debt ($37,315 versus $27,000 state median) but delivers near first-year earnings of nearly $60,000—placing it at the 60th percentile among Wisconsin business programs and outperforming 95% of similar programs nationally. For context, that first-year salary roughly matches what graduates earn from UW-Oshkosh and UW-Milwaukee, schools that typically carry lower debt loads. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 sits in a manageable range, though students should expect to devote more income to loan payments than their peers at UW system schools.

The concerning pattern here is the earnings decline: graduates actually earn less four years out ($56,566) than they do immediately after graduation. While still respectable compared to national norms, this backward trajectory raises questions about career progression or the types of positions graduates secure. Given that 57% of students receive Pell grants, the higher-than-average debt burden matters more for this population.

The practical calculus: you're paying above-market rates for a program that delivers strong initial placement but questionable upward mobility. If your student needs the flexibility that for-profit institutions often provide (evening classes, accelerated programs, multiple campus locations), the initial salary justifies the investment. But families who can access UW system schools should seriously weigh the debt differential—you'd be paying roughly $10,000 more for similar or potentially better long-term outcomes.