ROI Major

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

WI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.23

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions degree from University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire earn a median salary of $50,197 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $52,783. The degree typically pays for itself in 20.8 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$36,732

Typical Career

$50,197

Top Performers

$66,514

Estimated break-even: 20.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$335

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,183. Most students can comfortably afford about a $335 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Wisconsin buys what costs $0.95 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 21.8%
Educational Services 19.5%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.9%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$52,783

Nominal: $50,197 in Wisconsin (COL 95.1% of national avg) · 5.2% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

20.8 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $23,540 $31,905 $46,815
5 Years After Graduation $36,732 $50,197 $66,514
10 Years After Graduation $30,143 $47,574 $72,585

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $50,197 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WI, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $50,197 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9510) = $52,783 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates in Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire experience a notable earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $31,905, which increases to $50,197 five years later. However, by the ten-year mark, median earnings slightly decline to $47,574. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns more closely with the national average, at approximately $52,783.39, indicating a competitive earning potential relative to national peers.

The primary industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (21.8%), Educational Services (19.5%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (9.9%). With an estimated break-even point of about 20.8 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a degree in this field appears reasonable. Overall, while the initial earnings are modest, the long-term career prospects and industry demand suggest a stable and rewarding career path in rehabilitation and therapeutic professions.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions degree at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

Explore More