Public Administration at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

UW-La Crosse's Public Administration program sits squarely in the middle of the pack, with first-year earnings of $43,632 trailing both the national median ($45,278) and Wisconsin's median ($44,292) by a modest amount. Among the six Wisconsin schools offering this degree, it ranks in the 40th percentile—below comparable programs at UW-Whitewater but still producing graduates who enter the workforce at reasonable salary levels. The debt load of $20,500 is notably lower than both state and national medians, resulting in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47.

The real question is trajectory. Earnings grow 10% to $47,804 by year four, which represents solid but unspectacular advancement typical of government and nonprofit sector careers. However, the small sample size here—fewer than 30 graduates—means these numbers could shift considerably with just a few data points. That makes it harder to predict whether your child's experience would mirror these medians.

For a student interested in public sector work and comfortable with moderate starting salaries, this program won't bury them in debt and provides a foundation for steady career growth. The relatively low debt burden matters more than the mid-tier earnings, especially given that public administration careers often offer pension benefits and work-life balance that raw salary figures don't capture. Just recognize you're looking at a limited dataset that may not tell the full story.