ROI Major

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

WI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.10

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions degree from University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee earn a median salary of $71,510 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $75,195. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.3 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

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

$59,348

Typical Career

$71,510

Top Performers

$85,212

Estimated break-even: 5.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$477

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,959. Most students can comfortably afford about a $477 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.8x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x 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 19.6%
Educational Services 12.2%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 11.9%

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

$75,195

Nominal: $71,510 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).

5.3 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 $49,821 $63,441 $74,668
5 Years After Graduation $59,348 $71,510 $85,212
10 Years After Graduation $62,255 $79,227 $97,411

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 $71,510 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)
= $71,510 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9510) = $75,195 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee experience a positive earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $63,441, increasing to $71,510 after five years and reaching $79,227 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $75,194.53, reflecting a competitive financial outlook in the field, especially considering Wisconsin's cost of living index of 0.951 compared to the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (19.6%), Educational Services (12.2%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (11.9%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 5.3 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for this degree appears favorable. Graduates can expect to enter stable and growing sectors, enhancing their career prospects and financial stability over time.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions degree at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee 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.

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