Computer and Information Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Platteville

UW-Platteville's computer science program sits squarely in the middle tier of Wisconsin's tech education landscape. At $68,711 starting and $84,609 by year four, graduates earn almost exactly the state median—which is actually $7,000 above the national median for this degree. With $25,000 in debt (0.36 ratio to first-year earnings), students are looking at manageable loan payments that won't hamstring their early careers. The 23% earnings growth trajectory suggests graduates are finding solid footing in Wisconsin's tech sector.

The comparison to UW-Madison's $80,000+ starting salaries is inevitable, but there's a different calculation at play here. Platteville's 87% admission rate and substantially lower competition for entry means your student has a much clearer path to actually completing this degree. Not everyone thrives in hyper-competitive environments, and the $16,000 salary gap might be worth the reduced stress and higher completion odds. The program performs in the 60th percentile statewide—not elite, but reliably above average.

For families focused on value over prestige, this program delivers what matters: solid tech earnings from day one, reasonable debt, and steady career progression. Your student graduates job-ready without the pressure cooker experience of a top-10 program.