Home / Worth-It Scores / Wisconsin / University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Is University of Wisconsin-River Falls worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for University of Wisconsin-River Falls, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Workable
University of Wisconsin-River Falls lands in the workable band for a typical family. Median debt of $19,500 can be carried by median long-run earnings of $56,914, but the margin is not huge. For context, University of Wisconsin-River Falls's net price runs about 16% above the typical 4-year, public school. This is the kind of school where your actual aid offer can move the answer meaningfully.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$15,242
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $2,088 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $8,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$14,703
Median earnings 10 years out
$56,914
Median debt at graduation
$19,500
Graduation rate
57%
At University of Wisconsin-River Falls, a typical graduate carries about $19,500 in student debt and earns roughly $56,914 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $222 per month, or 5% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $23,517 more than the typical working high school graduate in Wisconsin ($33,397) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
82% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in Wisconsin ($33,397).
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor's degree · 39 working graduates counted
$41,705
$8,308 above the benchmark
Sociology
Bachelor's degree · 20 working graduates counted
$45,741
$12,344 above the benchmark
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor's degree · 100 working graduates counted
$46,004
$12,607 above the benchmark
History
Bachelor's degree · 16 working graduates counted
$47,891
$14,494 above the benchmark
Animal Sciences
Bachelor's degree · 187 working graduates counted
$48,680
$15,283 above the benchmark
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Bachelor's degree · 45 working graduates counted
$50,797
$17,400 above the benchmark
English Language and Literature, General
Bachelor's degree · 30 working graduates counted
$51,089
$17,692 above the benchmark
Communication and Media Studies
Bachelor's degree · 44 working graduates counted
$51,148
$17,751 above the benchmark
Criminology
Bachelor's degree · 24 working graduates counted
$51,586
$18,189 above the benchmark
Social Work
Bachelor's degree · 32 working graduates counted
$51,694
$18,297 above the benchmark
35 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent University of Wisconsin-River Falls and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
University of Wisconsin-River Falls is a public four year school in River Falls, WI. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Stevens Point, WI
Worth-It Score: 64/100
Median net price: $14,757
Public 4-year
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Platteville, WI
Worth-It Score: 71/100
Median net price: $15,451
Public 4-year
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI
Worth-It Score: 65/100
Median net price: $15,625
Public 4-year
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Superior, WI
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $13,843
Public 4-year
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI
Worth-It Score: 70/100
Median net price: $13,737
Common questions about University of Wisconsin-River Falls
The median net price at University of Wisconsin-River Falls is $14,703 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in Wisconsin? See the most affordable public universities in Wisconsin →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at University of Wisconsin-River Falls in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
Not saved, and not sent anywhere — this stays in your browser.
All students who received aid
$14,703a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →