Real Estate Degree in Madison, WI — Salary & ROI 2026
Real Estate degree analysis for Madison, WI. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$80K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.8 yrs
in Madison
Cost of Living
89
index (100 = avg)
Real Estate in Madison, WI Overview
Madison, Wisconsin (pop. 269,840) has 11 colleges offering Real Estate programs. The local cost of living index of 89 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $902/month. Real Estate enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Property Valuation and Investment Analysis. The adjusted starting salary in Madison is approximately $44,500, growing to $80,100 by mid-career.
Category
Business
Local Colleges
11
Public Tuition
$10,725/yr
Private Tuition
$33,350/yr
Room & Board
$11,942/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,815/yr
Unemployment
5.7%
Graduation Rate
73%
Real Estate Salary in Madison (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Madison's cost of living index of 89 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Real Estate salary: $50,000 starting, $90,000 mid-career, $125,000 senior level.Madison adjustment factor: 0.89x based on the local cost of living index.
Real Estate ROI Calculator for Madison
Estimate your return on investment for a Real Estate degree using local Madison tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,725 | Private avg: $33,350
Madison avg aid: $15,815/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$90,668
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,350
vs HS diploma in Madison
ROI Payback Period
6.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Madison
$532,332
Lifetime earnings premium ($623,000) minus total education cost ($90,668)
Student Loan Payoff for Real Estate in Madison
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Madison for Real Estate
University of Wisconsin-Madison
public
$10,725/yr
$42,900 total
Edgewood College
private
$33,350/yr
$133,400 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Madison Area Technical College
$4,632/yr
Top Employers for Real Estate in Madison
Madison offers opportunities in Financial services, Consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies for Real Estate graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Madison Hiring Sectors for Business
Financial services
Consulting firms
Fortune 500 companies
Startups
Marketing agencies
Common Real Estate Job Titles
Real Estate in Nearby Wisconsin Cities
Milwaukee, WI
$47K starting · COL 94
33 colleges
Green Bay, WI
$43K starting · COL 86
6 colleges
Kenosha, WI
$53K starting · COL 106
8 colleges
Racine, WI
$43K starting · COL 85.8
4 colleges
Appleton, WI
$40K starting · COL 79
6 colleges
Waukesha, WI
$45K starting · COL 90.5
3 colleges
Eau Claire, WI
$43K starting · COL 86
2 colleges
Oshkosh, WI
$54K starting · COL 107
3 colleges
Other Business Majors in Madison
Business Analytics
$69K starting · 2 yr ROI
Finance
$62K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Economics
$58K starting · 4 yr ROI
Information Systems
$45K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Supply Chain Management
$45K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Operations Management
$45K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Accounting
$55K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Business Administration
$52K starting · 4.2 yr ROI
Real Estate Degree in Madison — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Real Estate ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Madison.