Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
UW-Platteville graduates experience steady earnings growth throughout their early careers, with median compensation rising from $54,825 six years after enrollment to $58,001 at eight years and $61,760 at ten years. This represents 12.6% growth between the six-year and ten-year marks, indicating consistent but modest career progression.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings exceed the peer average, indicating above-typical outcomes for this institution type.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $21,977 in debt with typical earnings.
UW-Platteville graduates carry median debt of $21,977, which is $872 more than the peer median of $21,105 but remains within reasonable bounds relative to post-graduation earnings. Debt levels vary considerably, ranging from $7,500 at the 25th percentile to $27,000 at the 75th percentile, indicating that some students graduate with minimal borrowing while others carry more substantial debt loads.
UW-Platteville demonstrates well above average return on investment, ranking at the 80.8th percentile nationally on Azimuth's return index. Graduates earn $5,116 beyond expectations relative to their student demographics and institutional characteristics, placing the university at the 74.2nd percentile for value-added performance.
Approximately 22.4% of UW-Platteville graduates continue to graduate or professional school programs, with high confidence in this estimate based on p...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Chemical Engineering Technology leads institutional earnings performance at $76,919 with a perfect 100.0 value score and #1 national ranking, demonstrating exceptional return on investment. Traditional engineering programs follow closely, with Electrical Engineering producing $86,569, Computer Engineering at $84,723, and Mechanical Engineering at $77,244.
These technical programs drive the university's strong overall return performance and justify the modest premium in educational costs. Business Administration generates more moderate returns at $56,399 but serves larger cohorts with manageable debt levels.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
The earnings distribution reveals significant variation in career outcomes, with the 75th percentile ($83,326) earning 1.9 times more than the 25th percentile ($43,703). Low-income graduates earn $45,900, demonstrating the university's capacity to support economic mobility for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
