Computer and Information Sciences, General: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor vs University of Wisconsin-Madison

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
19.3x
$68,912 tuition
24.2x
$44,820 tuition
Out-of-State
5.7x
$232,288 tuition
6.7x
$162,412 tuition
$1,331,512 10-yr earnings · Public
$1,083,833 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor University of Wisconsin-Madison
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.3x 24.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.7x 6.7x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $68,912 $44,820
Year 1 Earnings $113,634 $80,566
10-Year Earnings $1,332K $1,084K
Median Debt $19,475 $20,500
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 2.1 months 3.1 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 84/100 85/100
Acceptance Rate 17.9% 43.4%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (69% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates.

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor University of Wisconsin-Madison
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $68,912 $44,820
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $232,288 $162,412
10-Year Projected Earnings $1,332K $1,084K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.3x 24.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.7x 6.7x
5-Year Salary Growth +35% +47%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Computer and Information Sciences, General (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor University of Wisconsin-Madison
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,405K $1,332K $942K $1,136K $1,084K $802K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 20.4x 19.3x 13.7x 25.3x 24.2x 17.9x
DegreeWorth Score 86 84 72 87 85 74

For the full AI analysis of Computer and Information Sciences, General career paths, see the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor or University of Wisconsin-Madison program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$24,092
University of Wisconsin-Madison saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$33,068/yr
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
19.3x / 24.2x
Out-of-state: 5.7x / 6.7x

Career Paths

Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Computer and information systems managers $171,200 55,600 +15.2% 53%
Computer and information research scientists $140,910 3,200 +19.7% 63%
Database architects $135,980 4,000 +8.7% 94%
Software developers $133,080 115,200 +15.8% 87%
Computer network architects $130,390 11,200 +11.9% 61%
Information security analysts $124,910 16,000 +28.5% 65%
Data scientists $112,590 23,400 +33.5% 64%
Computer occupations, all other $108,970 31,300 +8.2% 57%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

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Computer and Information Sciences, General Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Computer and Information Sciences, General: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor or University of Wisconsin-Madison?
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor scores 84/100 while University of Wisconsin-Madison scores 85/100. University of Wisconsin-Madison has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Computer and Information Sciences, General?
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor has an in-state earnings multiple of 19.3x vs University of Wisconsin-Madison's 24.2x. That means University of Wisconsin-Madison grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $24,092 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and University of Wisconsin-Madison compare on Computer and Information Sciences, General earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $113,634 at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor vs $80,566 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $1,331,512 vs $1,083,833 — a difference of $247,679.
How much does Computer and Information Sciences, General cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $68,912 at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and $44,820 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Median debt at graduation is $19,475 vs $20,500. Both programs lead to the same Computer and Information Sciences, General career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.