History at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

UW-La Crosse's history program shows graduates earning about $8,500 less than the Wisconsin median four years out—a meaningful gap that places this program in the 40th percentile statewide. While the first-year figure of $28,013 looks particularly low, earnings do climb 46% by year four to nearly $41,000, which demonstrates some momentum. Still, that four-year number trails not just UW-Madison but also regional competitors like UW-Whitewater and UW-Stevens Point by $5,000 or more.

The debt picture offers a bright spot: at $27,000, borrowing sits below both state and national medians for history programs, landing in the 9th percentile nationally (meaning 91% of programs carry higher debt loads). The debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0 means graduates owe less than their first-year salary, which is manageable compared to many liberal arts programs. However, with a sample size under 30 graduates, these numbers may not tell the full story—a few outliers could significantly skew the data either direction.

For families specifically seeking history at a Wisconsin public university, this program underperforms its sister campuses on earnings while offering similar or slightly higher debt. If UW-La Crosse is the right fit for other reasons, the modest borrowing makes this workable, but students should know they're likely accepting a financial trade-off compared to other UW System options.