Legal Studiesat University of Wisconsin-Madison
Graduates earn $41,144/yr in their first year — about 4.0% above the national Legal Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $616K; scenarios range from $576K to $623K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UW-Madison
Your undergraduate degree in General Legal Studies from UW-Madison provides a robust foundation in legal principles, critical thinking, and research, skills highly valued across numerous sectors. As a flagship public university, UW-Madison's strong academic reputation and extensive alumni network give graduates a competitive advantage, particularly within Wisconsin's labor market, including state government, corporate legal departments, and private firms in Madison and Milwaukee.
This isn't a direct path to practicing law without further education, but it perfectly prepares you for essential support roles. The moderate AI risk in these fields highlights the importance of developing complementary skills like nuanced client communication, complex problem-solving, and ethical reasoning. To maximize your career trajectory, actively seek internships with legal organizations or corporate compliance departments to gain practical experience and build your professional network.
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 Legal Studies
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 Legal Studies offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Legal Studies trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Legal Studies at UW-Madison
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Legal Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison?
A score of 50/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Legal Studies field.
What makes University of Wisconsin-Madison's Legal Studies program stand out?
Ranked #8 of 37 programs nationally, University of Wisconsin-Madison lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.