Real Estateat University of Wisconsin-Madison
Graduates earn $73,239/yr in their first year — about 29.0% above the national Real Estate average. Base-case 10-year earnings $877K; scenarios range from $754K to $920K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UW-Madison
UW-Madison's Real Estate program leverages the Wisconsin School of Business's strong finance foundation and a powerful alumni network spanning the Midwest's diverse markets—from Chicago's commercial hubs to Wisconsin's unique land development needs. This network is crucial, opening doors to sophisticated roles in real estate investment, development, and portfolio management, rather than just transactional brokerage, which directly contributes to the robust earning potential you see. While some aspects of real estate face high AI risk, this program equips you with the strategic thinking, complex deal structuring, and market analysis skills that are inherently human-centric. You'll be prepared for leadership in an evolving industry, not just entry-level sales. To maximize your success, actively engage with the program's career services and alumni mentorship opportunities early to identify specialized internship paths.
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 Real Estate
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 Real Estate offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Real Estate trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Real Estate at UW-Madison
How does University of Wisconsin-Madison's Real Estate program score?
A score of 72/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Wisconsin-Madison's Real Estate graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Real Estate to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Real Estate careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 46% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does University of Wisconsin-Madison rank so high for Real Estate?
The #1 ranking out of 28 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.