Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

UW-Milwaukee's associate degree in liberal arts delivers something unusual for a general studies program: meaningful earnings growth and manageable debt. Starting at $30,144, graduates see their income climb 29% to $38,900 by year four—well above both the state median ($29,978) and national median ($27,248) for this program. At the 60th percentile among Wisconsin programs, this positions UW-Milwaukee in the top half of in-state options for students pursuing this degree.

The debt picture strengthens the case. At $10,700, borrowing sits slightly below both state and national medians, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.35—meaning graduates owe about four months of first-year salary. That's a comfortable starting point, especially for a program that serves as either a foundation for transfer students or a stepping stone into the workforce. The moderate sample size suggests consistent outcomes rather than outlier results.

For Wisconsin families, this program represents solid value in a category that often struggles to deliver strong returns. While it won't match the earnings of UW-Platteville's program ($37,558), it costs less and still performs better than most in-state alternatives. If your student needs an affordable associate degree with decent earning potential and clear upward trajectory, UW-Milwaukee delivers on all three fronts.