Teacher Educationat University of Wisconsin-Madison
Graduates earn $45,906/yr in their first year — about 11.0% above the national Teacher Education average. Base-case 10-year earnings $513K; scenarios range from $493K to $515K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UW-Madison
At $45,906 per year, Teacher Education graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison earn slightly above the $41,412 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
The 11.5x 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 — 30% task exposure — and the 4% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The median debt load of $21,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
Ranked #108 out of 679 programs, University of Wisconsin-Madison's Teacher Education program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.
Earnings growth is modest: $45,906 to $51,263 over five years (12% 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 Teacher Education
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 Teacher Education offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Teacher Education trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Teacher Education at UW-Madison
How does University of Wisconsin-Madison's Teacher Education program score?
This program scores 62/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Teacher Education graduates.
How vulnerable is Teacher Education to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Teacher Education careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 30% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does University of Wisconsin-Madison rank so high for Teacher Education?
The #108 ranking out of 679 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.