Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire #450 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median $60,838 four years after enrollment, placing University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the 46.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire sits in the 38.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earn about $4,637 less than similar students at comparable institutions. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire delivers strong graduate earnings relative to cost, placing it among the higher-performing institutions in the Azimuth coverage set for return on investment. Graduates consistently earn above what similar students achieve at comparable institutions, a pattern anchored by the university's business-focused program mix and its position in the 51.7 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire #450 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 69.4 percentile for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Eau Claire, WI, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire enrolls roughly 8,895 undergraduates. Retention stands at 81.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 63.8%, reflecting solid degree-completion performance for a regional public institution. The composite is anchored by return on investment. Azimuth ranks University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire #716 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 51.7 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $60,838, placing University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the 46.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,637 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the 38.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business is the dominant program family, and the concentration in career-oriented fields helps explain why graduates tend to enter the labor market with competitive early earnings relative to peers at comparable institutions. Access and affordability round out the composite picture. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire sits in the 41.1 percentile for access and the 74.7 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 19.6% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 22.0% identifying as first-generation students. The university's broad-access admissions posture — 82.3% of applicants are admitted — means the institution serves a wide range of students, and mobility outcomes in the 82.4 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions reflect how consistently those students convert enrollment into meaningful post-graduation earnings.
University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire's published cost of attendance is $21,705. Need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $10,270, families in the lower-middle income band pay around $10,968, middle-income families pay about $12,766, families in the upper-middle income band pay approximately $18,278, and higher-income families pay around $20,778. Azimuth ranks University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire #361 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. As a public regional university, UW–Eau Claire benefits from Wisconsin's public-tuition structure and participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. The relatively modest gap between sticker price and net price across income bands reflects the institution's commitment to affordability through need-based aid. Families apply for aid using the FAFSA, and the university's aid office works with students to construct packages that minimize reliance on borrowing where possible. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,909, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $12,452; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,838, median federal debt of $20,909 projects to a monthly payment of about $236 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is a strong fit for students in WI and the Midwest who want a public regional university grounded in Business and related applied fields, and who are looking for solid long-term financial outcomes without taking on excessive debt. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $60,838, placing University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the 46.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and earn about $4,637 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the 38.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a meaningful share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 19.6% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 22.0% are first-generation — and delivers completion outcomes that support upward mobility for students from lower-income backgrounds. Median student debt at graduation is $20,909, which is manageable relative to the earnings trajectory most graduates follow. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix is oriented toward Business, education, and applied professional fields rather than engineering-heavy or research-intensive tracks, and students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes. Those seeking a broad-access public university in WI with a track record of delivering earnings beyond expectations will find University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire a compelling option.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the University Of Wisconsin-Eau Claire hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire's published cost of attendance is $21,705. Need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $10,270, families in the lower-middle income band pay around $10,968, middle-income families pay about $12,766, families in the upper-middle income band pay approximately $18,278, and higher-income families pay around $20,778.
Azimuth ranks University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire #361 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
As a public regional university, UW–Eau Claire benefits from Wisconsin's public-tuition structure and participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. The relatively modest gap between sticker price and net price across income bands reflects the institution's commitment to affordability through need-based aid.
Families apply for aid using the FAFSA, and the university's aid office works with students to construct packages that minimize reliance on borrowing where possible. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,909, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $12,452; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,838, median federal debt of $20,909 projects to a monthly payment of about $236 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $60,838, placing University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the 46.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,637 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the 38.0 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire #716 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That performance reflects a program mix anchored in Business, where graduates consistently reach competitive early-career pay relative to the cost of attendance.
The earnings pattern across programs is led by Business Administration, which combines meaningful cohort scale with strong four-year earnings. Business Administration is among the largest programs, graduating 175 students and delivering median earnings of $66,606 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks it #225 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-evaluate-programs/).
Psychology, General and Digital Marketing round out the high-enrollment tier, with median earnings of $58,458 and $70,891 respectively four years after enrollment. On the higher-earning end, Nursing graduates earn median $78,912 and Finance graduates earn median $75,724 four years after enrollment — fields where University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's outcomes track well against the $56,249 median at comparable institutions.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Delaware State University Similar quality tier (#15324 ranked) | DE | 47% | $49,307 | #15324 | Compare |
Grambling State University Similar quality tier (#15331 ranked) | LA | 45% | $41,109 | #15331 | Compare |
Columbus State University Similar quality tier (#15313 ranked) | GA | 99% | $44,544 | #15313 | Compare |
Northwestern State University Of Louisiana Similar quality tier (#15310 ranked) | LA | 93% | $47,021 | #15310 | Compare |
University Of Nebraska At Kearney Similar quality tier in Midwest (#15336 ranked) | NE | 89% | $50,105 | #15336 | Compare |
Computer and Information Sciences, General
83 graduates
Management Information Systems and Services
44 graduates
Physics
14 graduates
Mathematics
42 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
77 graduates
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's program mix is anchored in Business, which forms the core of the institution's degree output and connects graduates to stable, well-paying careers across accounting, finance, and management. The largest programs by graduate volume — Business Administration, Psychology, General, and Digital Marketing — reflect a curriculum weighted toward applied professional fields, with Nursing and Finance rounding out the most-enrolled areas.
This concentration in Business and adjacent disciplines gives University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire a recognizable program-mix signature: broadly career-oriented, with strong alignment to regional and national employer demand in business services and health-adjacent fields. The highest-earning programs at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire cluster in applied business and technical fields.
Artificial Intelligence leads on median earnings four years after enrollment at $106,724, and Azimuth ranks the program #62 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Nursing follows with median earnings of $78,912, with Azimuth ranking it #269 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Finance and Digital Marketing also deliver competitive early-career pay at $75,724 and $70,891 respectively, with Azimuth ranking them #125 and #82 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The program portfolio at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is oriented primarily toward direct-to-workforce pathways — accounting, finance, business administration, and nursing are high-mobility fields where graduates enter the labor market immediately and four-year earnings reflect actual employment outcomes.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these dominant program families align with national labor-market demand, particularly in business services and healthcare, where employer hiring has remained durable across economic cycles. Across 45 programs serving roughly 2,304 students annually, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire offers a focused, professionally oriented curriculum with consistent earnings outcomes concentrated in its strongest fields.
