Animal Sciencesat University of Wisconsin-Madison
Graduates earn $44,354/yr in their first year — about 31.0% above the national Animal Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $537K; scenarios range from $497K to $542K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UW-Madison
The strong earnings from this program reflect its deep integration into Wisconsin’s powerhouse agricultural economy. You're not just studying theory; you're immersed in a world-class research institution located in the heart of "America's Dairyland." This proximity creates direct recruiting pipelines to major agribusiness employers like Hormel Foods, Tyson, and Land O'Lakes, especially for roles in genetics, nutrition, and production management. While some hands-on farm work faces automation risk, a UW-Madison degree positions you for the science, research, and leadership roles that are much harder to automate. To maximize your advantage, aggressively pursue internships with the university's industry partners. Your hands-on experience at a research farm or with a major food producer will be the key differentiator that turns this strong degree into a high-impact career.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UW-Madison's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Animal Sciences
How UW-Madison stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UW-Madison
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UW-Madison, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Animal Sciences offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Animal Sciences trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Animal Sciences at UW-Madison
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Animal Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Madison?
A score of 51/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Animal Sciences field.
Will AI replace Animal Sciences careers?
With 42% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $496,844 in decade earnings vs $541,505 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.