University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin · Public · 88.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 61/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay scores 61 overall - comfortable Fair Value territory anchored by strong fundamentals. Earnings premium of 72 (32.8% wage lift) and a 0.507 debt-to-earnings ratio scoring 72 are the two pillars. Median earnings reach $36,500 at six years and $52,528 at ten years, with median debt of only $18,500 - among the lower debt loads in this peer set - producing an 11-year payback period. The clear soft spot is completion: just 48.2% finish, well below comparable UW system campuses, dragging the score by 25-30 points. In-state tuition is $8,700 (a UW system bargain), net price $13,369, four-year cost $53,476. The campus serves 6,341 students with a strong nursing pipeline, solid business and accounting outcomes, and a competitive computer-science program. The story is straightforward: if you finish, the cost-to-earnings math works well - but the institution loses too many students before graduation, which is why a strong financial-on-paper school still scores in the 60s rather than the 70s.
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,700/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $17,288/yr |
| Average net price | $13,369/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $53,476 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $52,528 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $196 |
| Estimated payback period | 11 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 48.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,341 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $8,700/year ($17,288/year out-of-state). Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $13,369/year, or roughly $53,476 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $9,144/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,975/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $18,500 in federal loans, which works out to about $196 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $52,528 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.51, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $9,144 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,166 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,169 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,105 |
| $110,001+ | $18,975 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $9,144 net - well below sticker, with four-year cost around $36,600 against $52,528 in 10-year median earnings. This is one of the cleanest in-state cost equations in the UW system. Pell stacking on already-low tuition makes UWGB a defensible choice for low-income Wisconsin families, especially in nursing.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $11,169 net, four-year cost about $44,700. Still very competitive against the same $52,528 earnings figure. The brackets march cleanly upward (no inversions), which signals well-targeted institutional aid policy.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $16,105; above $110,000 net price hits $18,975. Four-year cost at the top reaches $75,900. Even at the high tier UWGB stays under most private alternatives, but the relative value advantage shrinks as income rises - high earners are essentially full-pay for an in-state public.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $48,711 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $62,276 | C+ |
| Registered Nursing | $84,588 | B |
| Education, General | $44,331 | C+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $58,093 | C+ |
| Human Biology | $56,117 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $48,550 | C |
| Biology | $51,038 | D |
| Social Work | $54,252 | C |
| Accounting | $77,802 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is UWGB's strongest program: 108 graduates earning $70,213 in year one and $84,588 by year four. Median debt of $28,045 produces a 0.399 debt-to-earnings ratio and B grade. The Green Bay healthcare market (Bellin, HSHS, Aurora) absorbs most graduates at competitive starting salaries. A defensible nursing pipeline with reliable outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the largest program at 199 graduates earning $48,709 in year one and $62,276 by year four, against $22,264 median debt for a 0.457 ratio (C+ grade). Northeast Wisconsin's manufacturing and insurance corridor (Schneider, Humana, Associated Bank) provides employer demand. Steady mid-tier career outcomes.
Computer Science
Computer Science produces 31 graduates earning $52,324 in year one and $69,304 by year four, with $23,677 debt for a 0.453 ratio (C+ grade). Smaller cohort than flagship CS programs but solid regional placement. Year-four earnings growth of $17K signals real career-track mobility for graduates who stay in the field.
Education, General
Education produces 100 graduates earning $42,768 in year one and $44,331 by year four. Median debt of $23,250 yields a 0.544 ratio (C+ grade). The flat 1-to-4-year earnings curve is typical of Wisconsin public-school teacher pay scales; PSLF eligibility makes this debt manageable on those salaries.
Psychology
Psychology is the third-largest program with 214 graduates - but earnings disappoint: $36,068 in year one rising only to $48,711 by year four against $25,737 debt (0.714 ratio, D grade). National psychology bachelor's-only earnings are weak, and UWGB shows the same pattern. Students should plan on graduate school to capture real career value.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 76.0% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 76.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 82.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 88.6% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-24 |
| Enrollment | 6,341 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,077 |
UW-Green Bay admits 88.6% of applicants - broadly accessible. SAT scores are not reported in current Scorecard data, but ACT mid-range of 18-24 reflects a standard regional-public academic profile. The 48.2% completion rate is the more telling number: high admit rates plus modest entering scores typically translate to persistence challenges, and UWGB shows that pattern. Prepared in-state students have nearly automatic access; the bigger question is fit and finish-rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UWGB's peers are well-chosen: UW-Whitewater and UW-Eau Claire are sister-system institutions with stronger completion rates and slightly better ROI scores. Empire State (NY's online-flexible public), Stockton (NJ public liberal arts), and Texas A&M-San Antonio (Hispanic-serving regional public) round out the comparison group. UWGB sits in the middle of this band - its low cost and low debt are competitive advantages, while its completion rate trails the UW-system peers materially.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (this school) | 61 | $13,369 | $52,528 |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 72 | $16,550 | $58,561 |
| University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 64 | $14,158 | $55,356 |
| Stockton University | 62 | $20,670 | $57,602 |
| Empire State University | 61 | $11,676 | $54,080 |
| Texas A&M University-San Antonio | 60 | $11,196 | $54,338 |
Who Thrives Here
UWGB fits cost-conscious Wisconsin students aiming at nursing, business, accounting, education, or social-services careers in northeast Wisconsin. Pell rate of 21.8% indicates a mostly middle-class student body. Enrollment of 6,341 supports broad program selection without flagship scale. The strongest outcomes are concentrated in nursing (108 grads, B grade) and business (199 grads, C+ grade); arts, biology, and psychology cohorts face weaker debt-to-earnings math.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $13,369 a year after aid ($53,476 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $52,528 a decade out, the cost takes about 11 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
What to keep an eye on: its 48.2% graduation rate.
Median debt of $18,500 against $52,528 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.