International Business at University of Wisconsin-Madison

UW-Madison's International Business program graduates earn $66,591 in their first year—$17,000 above the national median and $12,000 above Wisconsin's median. Within four years, earnings jump to $94,000, putting graduates well ahead of typical international business majors nationwide. The debt load is remarkably light at $14,000, less than half the national median for this program, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.21. For comparison, the typical International Business graduate elsewhere carries $23,472 in debt while earning $17,000 less.

Here's the catch: with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, these numbers could shift significantly with a different cohort. The 60th percentile ranking within Wisconsin is also puzzling given the strong absolute earnings—it suggests either that Wisconsin has an unusually competitive landscape for this major, or that the small sample is skewing results. Still, even accepting some statistical noise, the fundamentals are strong: high earnings, low debt, and solid trajectory.

If your student is admitted to UW-Madison and interested in international business, the financial profile looks excellent. The combination of Wisconsin's in-state tuition advantage and strong starting salaries makes this a relatively low-risk investment, assuming the sample size reflects a real pattern rather than an outlier year.