General Sales, Merchandising at University of Wisconsin-Madison

UW-Madison's sales and merchandising graduates start at $57,760—roughly $8,000 above the national median and $3,500 ahead of the Wisconsin average. They're essentially matching earnings from the state's top program (UW-Oshkosh at $54,213) while benefiting from Madison's stronger overall reputation. The debt load of $21,630 is meaningfully lower than both state and national norms, creating a reasonable 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio that most families can manage with a standard repayment plan.

The 12% earnings growth over four years is solid, though not spectacular—graduates reach nearly $65,000 by year four, which puts them at the 75th percentile nationally for this field. What's worth noting is that UW-Madison attracts stronger students overall (1402 SAT average, 43% admission rate), suggesting this program may be drawing from the same competitive pool but preparing them for sales roles that, while well-compensated, don't command the premium you'd see in engineering or finance programs at the same institution.

For a student genuinely interested in sales or retail management, this delivers good value: earnings that beat most competitors, manageable debt, and the broader UW-Madison network. Just recognize that sales success often depends more on individual hustle than degree prestige, so that $21,630 investment buys you a respectable floor but not necessarily a higher ceiling than less expensive options.