ROI Major

Agricultural Business and Management at University of Wisconsin - Platteville

WI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 01.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Agricultural Business and Management degree from University of Wisconsin - Platteville earn a median salary of $68,213 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $71,728. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.4 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

$52,236

Typical Career

$68,213

Top Performers

$85,218

Estimated break-even: 6.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$455

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,684. Most students can comfortably afford about a $455 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: Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Manufacturing 21.2%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 13.1%
Educational Services 13.0%

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

$71,728

Nominal: $68,213 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).

6.4 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 $42,195 $52,117 $61,518
5 Years After Graduation $52,236 $68,213 $85,218
10 Years After Graduation $61,135 $83,778 $110,419

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 $68,213 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)
= $68,213 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9510) = $71,728 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Agricultural Business and Management program at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville experience a positive earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $52,117, increasing to $68,213 after five years and reaching $83,778 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $71,727.66, indicating that graduates are well-positioned to maintain their financial stability in the face of inflation and cost-of-living changes.

The program's graduates find opportunities primarily in manufacturing (21.2%), professional, scientific, and technical services (13.1%), and educational services (13.0%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 6.4 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable. The combination of solid earning potential and diverse industry options suggests that students can expect a worthwhile career trajectory in agricultural business and management.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Agricultural Business and Management degree at University of Wisconsin - Platteville 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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