ROI Major

Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services at University of Wisconsin - Stout

WI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.31

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services degree from University of Wisconsin - Stout earn a median salary of $60,159 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $63,259. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.4 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

$47,864

Typical Career

$60,159

Top Performers

$72,168

Estimated break-even: 10.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$401

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,013. Most students can comfortably afford about a $401 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x 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, Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Manufacturing 18.9%
Educational Services 14.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 10.2%

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

$63,259

Nominal: $60,159 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).

10.4 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 $22,669 $29,843 $38,438
5 Years After Graduation $47,864 $60,159 $72,168
10 Years After Graduation $50,710 $62,583 $81,414

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 $60,159 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)
= $60,159 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9510) = $63,259 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services program at the University of Wisconsin - Stout can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $29,843, which increases significantly to $60,159 by the five-year mark. After ten years, median earnings reach $62,583. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $63,258.68, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial standing relative to their peers across the country.

The program prepares students for diverse career opportunities, with the top industries for graduates including Manufacturing (18.9%), Educational Services (14.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (10.2%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 10.4 years, suggesting that the investment in education yields a favorable return over time. Overall, the combination of solid earnings potential and industry diversity supports a positive return on investment for graduates.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services degree at University of Wisconsin - Stout 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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