Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison

At first glance, starting at $28,841 might concern parents looking at UW-Madison's Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies program—it's below the national median for this field and lands in the 40th percentile among Wisconsin programs. But here's what matters: by year four, earnings jump to $45,721, representing 59% growth that outpaces typical trajectories in this field. While early earnings lag, graduates appear to find their footing relatively quickly, moving well beyond both state and national medians within a few years.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $19,750, borrowers owe significantly less than the typical graduate in this field nationally ($23,000), making that modest first-year salary more manageable with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. This means graduates are carrying about eight months' worth of first-year income in debt—challenging but not overwhelming, especially given the strong earnings trajectory. Still, this program sits in the 70th percentile for debt nationally, meaning 70% of comparable programs leave students with less borrowing.

The tradeoff is clear: you're paying for UW-Madison's name recognition and platform, but graduates start behind their peers at other schools and need several years to catch up. If your student values the Madison experience and can handle lean early years financially, the growth trajectory suggests the investment pays off. But families counting on immediate post-graduation earnings to service debt should look carefully at those first-year numbers.