Public · Mostly bachelor's degrees · Large city

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, Wisconsin. 36,902 undergraduates. Admits 45% of applicants.

90%Graduation rate35 pts above the national median for similar colleges (54%)
$16,600Average net price per year17% below the national median for similar colleges ($19,899)
$80,330Median earnings 10 years after starting36% above the national median for similar colleges ($58,912)
$18,375Median debt at graduation15% below the national median for similar colleges ($21,609)
Our read

Graduates' median debt ($18,375) equals 23% of former students' median earnings ten years after starting ($80,330). That is a light load relative to pay.

What families actually pay

Under $30,000$3,424
$30,000–$48,000$3,837
$48,001–$75,000$6,026
$75,001–$110,000$15,839
Over $110,000$28,208

Average yearly net price for first-time, full-time students who received federal aid, by family income. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Source: College Scorecard.

Compare net price across collegesPublished tuition and fees: $12,166 in-state, $44,191 out-of-state.

Do students finish, and what do they earn?

MeasureThis collegeSimilar colleges nationally
Graduation rate90%54%
Return for second year96%76%
Median earnings, 6 years after starting$67,591$49,318
Median earnings, 10 years after starting$80,330$58,912
Median debt at graduation$18,375$21,609

Graduation rate within 150% of normal time; retention is the share of first-year students who return. Earnings are medians for former students who received federal aid, working and not enrolled. National comparison is the median for colleges of the same type (mostly bachelor's degrees).

Programs and what graduates earn

360 programs reported
ProgramGraduates / yrMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian earnings, 5 yrsMedian debt
Business/Commerce, General53$141,050$174,641—
Marketing17$126,487$172,172—
Engineering, General53$123,302$153,959—
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering117$118,900$145,240—
Finance and Financial Management Services20$132,662——
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions69$112,967$124,834—
Nuclear Engineering12—$124,675—
Computer and Information Sciences, General142$124,044——
Accounting and Related Services80$76,151$110,936—
Mechanical Engineering64$92,920$105,546—
Real Estate74$97,995——
Civil Engineering35$78,481$93,535—
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods179$91,223——
Biomedical/Medical Engineering50$90,377——
Public Health84$71,592$88,449—
Industrial Engineering59$85,237——
Biotechnology47$82,149——
Geography and Cartography34$77,559——
Public Policy Analysis32$66,113$76,377—
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology105$62,983$75,151—
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services34$60,397$69,712—
Educational Administration and Supervision53$59,773$68,093—
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions23$67,447$64,634—
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services32$64,465——
Social Work91$57,680$60,572—
Curriculum and Instruction79$53,311$60,239—
Special Education and Teaching24$57,193——
Natural Resources Conservation and Research33$52,667——
Library Science and Administration97$47,650$52,427—
Fine and Studio Arts18$33,984$50,769—
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management15$48,537——
Agricultural Production Operations15———
Agricultural Public Services4———
Animal Sciences6———
Food Science and Technology6———
Plant Sciences5———
Soil Sciences6———
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy9———
Forestry2———
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management5———
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning9———
Landscape Architecture2———
Area Studies10———
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies2———
Communication and Media Studies4———
Journalism13———
Information Science/Studies33———
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education3———
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas1———
Agricultural Engineering7———
Chemical Engineering1———
Engineering Mechanics6———
Materials Engineering6———
Systems Engineering10———
Geological/Geophysical Engineering2———
Engineering-Related Fields5———
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services2———
African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics1———
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics5———
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics1———
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics6———
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics9———
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics4———
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General12———
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies11———
English Language and Literature, General10———
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies6———
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology31———
Botany/Plant Biology10———
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology15———
Zoology/Animal Biology7———
Genetics25———
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences12———
Pharmacology and Toxicology3———
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology10———
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology2———
Neurobiology and Neurosciences3———
Mathematics49———
Statistics79———
Data Science2———
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness40———
Philosophy8———
Astronomy and Astrophysics3———
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology15———
Chemistry54———
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences10———
Physics33———
Research and Experimental Psychology16———
Anthropology15———
Economics147———
International Relations and National Security Studies13———
Political Science and Government7———
Sociology8———
Music19———
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies2———
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration64———
Medical Illustration and Informatics7———
Business Administration, Management and Operations5———
Insurance3———
History8———

Program-level medians for graduates who received federal aid. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure to protect privacy, usually because the program is small. At four-year colleges, certificate graduates often earned a bachelor's at the same time, so their earnings can reflect the degree. Source: College Scorecard, field of study data.

Getting in

45%Admission rate
1,427Average SAT of admitted students
29–33ACT middle 50%
18:1Students per faculty member
19%Undergraduates with a Pell Grant

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Quick answers

How much does University of Wisconsin-Madison cost per year?
The average net price at University of Wisconsin-Madison, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $16,600 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much do University of Wisconsin-Madison graduates earn?
Former University of Wisconsin-Madison students earn a median of $80,330 a year ten years after starting college. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
What is the graduation rate at University of Wisconsin-Madison?
90% of University of Wisconsin-Madison students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much student debt do University of Wisconsin-Madison graduates have?
The median federal student debt at graduation from University of Wisconsin-Madison is $18,375. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.