Electrical Engineeringat University of Wisconsin-Madison
Graduates earn $82,018/yr in their first year — about 6.0% above the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $817K; scenarios range from $692K to $855K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UW-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison's Electrical Engineering graduates start at $82,018/yr — above the $77,516 national average, though not by a wide margin.
The 18.2x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 56% task exposure — and the 19% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $22,500 in median debt clears quickly against $82,018 in annual earnings.
Ranked #104 out of 262 programs, University of Wisconsin-Madison's Electrical Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
Earnings growth is modest: $82,018 to $93,494 over five years (14% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.
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 Electrical Engineering
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 Electrical Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Electrical Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Electrical Engineering at UW-Madison
How does University of Wisconsin-Madison's Electrical Engineering program score?
A score of 74/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Wisconsin-Madison's Electrical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Electrical Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Electrical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.