Microbiological Sciences and Immunology at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58 looks manageable on paper, but the story gets cloudier when you realize both figures come from national peer programs rather than UW-Milwaukee's actual outcomes. Based on these comparable programs, first-year earnings of $38,040 and debt around $22,000 suggest a reasonable financial picture—except that other Wisconsin microbiology programs report substantially higher earnings. UW-La Crosse graduates start at $54,290, and even UW-Madison's program begins at $49,186, both well above the $38,040 national benchmark used here.

The gap matters because Wisconsin clearly supports stronger outcomes in this field than the national average would suggest. Whether UW-Milwaukee's program performs closer to the state's higher benchmarks or tracks with the lower national figures remains unknown due to the suppressed data. For a student committed to staying in Wisconsin's life sciences sector, those higher state earnings are encouraging. But without actual outcome data from this specific program, you're essentially betting that UW-Milwaukee will match the state's performance rather than fall short of it.

The accessible admission profile (88% acceptance rate) opens doors for many students, but that same accessibility doesn't guarantee the program will deliver Wisconsin's typical microbiology outcomes. If your child can gain admission to UW-Madison or La Crosse—schools with proven track records in the mid-$50K range—those programs offer more certainty. Otherwise, understand you're making this decision with significant blind spots about what UW-Milwaukee's graduates actually earn.