Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at University of Wisconsin-Madison

UW-Madison's nursing program sits right in the middle of the pack nationally—literally at the 53rd percentile—despite the university's prestigious reputation. Graduates earn $75,513 their first year out, tracking just above Wisconsin's median of $72,463, but this puts them behind several less selective Wisconsin nursing programs like Ottawa University-Milwaukee and the Herzing campuses. More concerning, earnings actually dip by 3% to $73,330 by year four, suggesting graduates may be hitting their ceiling early rather than gaining ground as their careers progress.

The $25,000 median debt is reasonable—$2,000 below both state and national medians—translating to a manageable 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's genuinely good news for cost-conscious families. However, it's worth noting that attending one of the top-performing Wisconsin programs would deliver similar or better starting salaries with comparable debt loads, and without the four-year degree requirements or admissions selectivity of Madison.

If your child is drawn to UW-Madison for the full university experience or academic environment, nursing is a perfectly solid choice here. But if they're purely focused on nursing career outcomes, the numbers suggest Madison's brand doesn't translate into meaningful salary advantages in this field. Several less competitive Wisconsin nursing programs deliver equivalent or better financial returns.