Statistics at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Wisconsin's statistics programs show substantial variation, with UW-Madison graduates earning around $65,000 in their first year—about $5,000 more than what national peer programs suggest for UW-La Crosse. That gap isn't trivial, but the estimated $20,000 in debt here creates a much more manageable financial picture than the $26,000 state median. A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34 means this program could theoretically be paid off in well under a year of dedicated repayment, assuming similar outcomes materialize.

The caveat matters: these figures come from comparable statistics programs nationwide, not UW-La Crosse's actual graduates. Given the school's 73% admission rate and solid SAT scores, it attracts reasonably prepared students, but we can't confirm whether their outcomes match, exceed, or fall short of the national pattern. Statistics is typically a strong field for employment—data analysis skills translate across industries—so the fundamentals favor graduates even if the specific numbers shift somewhat.

For parents weighing this against UW-Madison, the tradeoff is clear: potentially $5,000 less in starting salary but also potentially $6,000 less in debt. If your student thrives in a smaller campus environment (La Crosse enrolls about 10,000 students versus Madison's 45,000), that financial difference may be worth it. Just understand you're banking on estimates holding true rather than proven outcomes from this specific program.