Business Administration: University of California-Berkeley 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
16.6x
$59,400 tuition
15.7x
$44,820 tuition
Out-of-State
5.4x
$182,508 tuition
4.3x
$162,412 tuition
$985,663 10-yr earnings · Public
$704,670 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

University of California-Berkeley University of Wisconsin-Madison
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.6x 15.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 4.3x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $59,400 $44,820
Year 1 Earnings $90,008 $67,699
10-Year Earnings $986K $705K
Median Debt $11,300 $20,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 1.5 months 3.5 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 77/100 74/100
Acceptance Rate 11.7% 43.4%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (47% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Business Administration graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Business Administration graduates.

University of California-Berkeley University of Wisconsin-Madison
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $59,400 $44,820
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $182,508 $162,412
10-Year Projected Earnings $986K $705K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.6x 15.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 4.3x
5-Year Salary Growth +61% +36%

"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 Business Administration (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

University of California-Berkeley University of Wisconsin-Madison
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,030K $986K $822K $724K $705K $617K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 17.3x 16.6x 13.8x 16.1x 15.7x 13.8x
DegreeWorth Score 78 77 71 75 74 67

For the full AI analysis of Business Administration career paths, see the University of California-Berkeley or University of Wisconsin-Madison program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Business Administration graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$14,580
University of Wisconsin-Madison saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$22,309/yr
University of California-Berkeley grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
16.6x / 15.7x
Out-of-state: 5.4x / 4.3x

Career Paths

Business Administration 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
Chief executives $206,420 22,200 +4.3% 56%
Computer and information systems managers $171,200 55,600 +15.2% 53%
Architectural and engineering managers $167,740 14,500 +3.8% 41%
Financial managers $161,700 74,600 +14.8% 50%
Natural sciences managers $161,180 8,500 +3.7% 50%
Compensation and benefits managers $140,360 1,500 +0.2% 51%
Human resources managers $140,030 17,900 +5.0% 48%
Purchasing managers $139,510 6,400 +3.1% 59%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Business Administration: University of California-Berkeley or University of Wisconsin-Madison?
University of California-Berkeley scores 77/100 while University of Wisconsin-Madison scores 74/100. University of Wisconsin-Madison has significantly lower tuition, which drives its competitive ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Business Administration?
University of California-Berkeley has an in-state earnings multiple of 16.6x vs University of Wisconsin-Madison's 15.7x. That means University of California-Berkeley grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do University of California-Berkeley and University of Wisconsin-Madison compare on Business Administration earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $90,008 at University of California-Berkeley vs $67,699 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $985,663 vs $704,670 — a difference of $280,993.
How much does Business Administration cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $59,400 at University of California-Berkeley and $44,820 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Median debt at graduation is $11,300 vs $20,000. Both programs lead to the same Business Administration 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.