University of Wisconsin-Madison Overview

University of Wisconsin-Madison is a four-year, full-time, more selective, lower transfer-in, higher education institution located in Madison, WI. It has an enrollment of 33,506 undergraduate students. The admissions acceptance rate is 60.35%.

The average annual cost of attendance after financial aid is $16,708. Tuition is $10,720.00 without financial aid.

University of Wisconsin-Madison is a predominantly bachelor’s-degree granting school.

At University of Wisconsin-Madison, 95.22% of students return after freshman year (national average: 68%).

University of Wisconsin-Madison has a student-to-faculty ratio of 17 to 1.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Website

University of Wisconsin-Madison Admissions

For the incoming class in 2023, the acceptance rate was 60.35%.

SAT or ACT scores are considered but not required

• The average SAT score was 1359.0 for the incoming class of 2023.
• The median ACT score was 29.0 for the incoming class to 2023.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Cost

The average annual cost of attendance after financial aid is $16,708. The in-state tuition is $10,720.00. Out-of-state tuition is $38,608.00

The average tuition is:

• $3,753, when family income is less than $30,000

• $4,697, when family income is between $30,001 and $48,000 

• $9,844, when family income is between $48,001 and $75,000

• $21,706, when family income is between $75,001 and $110,000

• $26,048, when family income is more than $110,000 

The average tuition shown here is based on the NET costs to students who receive financial aid. For the incoming class of 2023, 23.87% of students received a federal student loan and 14.96% of students received a Pell Grant.

Tuition is $38,608.00 without financial aid, or the in-state tuition discount.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Net Price Calculator

University of Wisconsin-Madison Majors/Salaries

University of Wisconsin-Madison has academic offerings within the core majors listed below.  

Please note that different schools classify majors differently, so it is best to view the school’s website to see the various programs it offers. See detailed information about the individual majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison here.

Recent Graduate Salaries

(Average salaries of students from select majors two years after graduation)

• Agricultural Business and Management. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $44,468
• Agricultural Public Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $39,639
• Animal Sciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,488
• Food Science and Technology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $58,673
• Plant Sciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $35,060
• Veterinary Medicine. (First Professional Degree) – $73,769
• Natural Resources Conservation and Research. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $29,183
• Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $23,456
• City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning. (Master’s Degree) – $46,087
• Landscape Architecture. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $50,439
• Area Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $27,874
• Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $25,525
• Communication and Media Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $35,891
• Communication and Media Studies. (Doctoral Degree) – $62,260
• Journalism. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $39,585
• Computer and Information Sciences, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $75,282
• Computer and Information Sciences, General. (Doctoral Degree) – $106,421
• Education, General. (Master’s Degree) – $40,485
• Curriculum and Instruction. (Master’s Degree) – $43,426
• Curriculum and Instruction. (Doctoral Degree) – $63,005
• Educational Administration and Supervision. (Master’s Degree) – $50,439
• Special Education and Teaching. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $42,123
• Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $38,649
• Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $33,993
• Engineering, General. (Master’s Degree) – $106,421
• Agricultural Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $63,749
• Biomedical/Medical Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $55,964
• Biomedical/Medical Engineering. (Master’s Degree) – $68,499
• Chemical Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $73,378
• Civil Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $67,450
• Civil Engineering. (Master’s Degree) – $65,238
• Computer Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $81,997
• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $68,379
• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. (Master’s Degree) – $106,421
• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. (Doctoral Degree) – $94,408
• Engineering Mechanics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $65,657
• Materials Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) – $66,941
• Mechanical Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $71,633
• Mechanical Engineering. (Master’s Degree) – $85,538
• Nuclear Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $49,644
• Industrial Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $72,895
• Industrial Engineering. (Master’s Degree) – $76,460
• Geological/Geophysical Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $60,004
• Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $18,154
• East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $42,682
• Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,391
• Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,377
• Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. (Master’s Degree) – $41,025
• Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. (Doctoral Degree) – $44,590
• Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General. (Master’s Degree) – $37,208
• Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $33,335
• Apparel and Textiles. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $43,426
• Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate). (Bachelor’s Degree) – $39,909
• Law. (First Professional Degree) – $60,126
• English Language and Literature, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $30,336
• English Language and Literature, General. (Doctoral Degree) – $50,439
• Library Science and Administration. (Master’s Degree) – $43,638
• Biology, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $28,598
• Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,924
• Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. (Doctoral Degree) – $57,189
• Botany/Plant Biology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $28,960
• Microbiological Sciences and Immunology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $38,289
• Zoology/Animal Biology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $28,381
• Genetics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $37,208
• Genetics. (Master’s Degree) – $73,446
• Biotechnology. (Master’s Degree) – $77,715
• Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $24,904
• Mathematics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $52,107
• Statistics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $63,005
• Nutrition Sciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,925
• International/Global Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,806
• Health and Physical Education/Fitness. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $30,771
• Philosophy. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $28,236
• Religion/Religious Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $20,824
• Astronomy and Astrophysics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $26,353
• Chemistry. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $47,260
• Chemistry. (Doctoral Degree) – $63,600
• Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $53,358
• Physics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $38,289
• Psychology, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,514
• Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. (Master’s Degree) – $47,260
• Public Policy Analysis. (Master’s Degree) – $56,302
• Social Work. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,569
• Social Work. (Master’s Degree) – $46,332
• Anthropology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $23,456
• Economics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $49,521
• Economics. (Doctoral Degree) – $136,278
• Geography and Cartography. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $34,847
• International Relations and National Security Studies. (Master’s Degree) – $61,218
• Political Science and Government. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $37,838
• Sociology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $35,635
• Sociology. (Doctoral Degree) – $81,111
• Design and Applied Arts. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $45,919
• Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $29,685
• Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. (Master’s Degree) – $43,798
• Fine and Studio Arts. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $28,236
• Fine and Studio Arts. (Master’s Degree) – $32,925
• Music. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $28,236
• Music. (Master’s Degree) – $25,194
• Music. (Doctoral Degree) – $38,289
• Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $24,035
• Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. (Master’s Degree) – $53,608
• Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. (First Professional Degree) – $74,576
• Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. (First Professional Degree) – $100,213
• Medicine. (First Professional Degree) – $58,706
• Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. (First Professional Degree) – $117,042
• Public Health. (Master’s Degree) – $55,964
• Public Health. (Doctoral Degree) – $84,653
• Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $33,281
• Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. (Master’s Degree) – $53,608
• Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. (First Professional Degree) – $66,541
• Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $64,769
• Business/Commerce, General. (Master’s Degree) – $113,091
• Business Administration, Management and Operations. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $61,303
• Business Administration, Management and Operations. (Master’s Degree) – $108,649
• Accounting and Related Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $62,343
• Accounting and Related Services. (Master’s Degree) – $61,888
• Finance and Financial Management Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $65,029
• Finance and Financial Management Services. (Master’s Degree) – $107,256
• International Business. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $63,997
• Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $78,814
• Marketing. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $59,556
• Marketing. (Master’s Degree) – $111,992
• Real Estate. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $73,949
• Real Estate. (Master’s Degree) – $115,339
• Insurance. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $66,821
• General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $50,439
• History. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $35,060
• History. (Doctoral Degree) – $46,560

University of Wisconsin-Madison Diversity

The racial diversity of students who received financial aid at University of Wisconsin-Madison

• American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.24%
• Asian: 8.50%
• Black: 2.07%
• Hispanic: 6.76%
• Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.07%
• Non-resident alien: 9.64%
• Two or more races: 4.01%
• Unknown: 3.18%
• White: 65.53%

At University of Wisconsin-Madison, 3.63% of undergraduate students are 25 years old, or older.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Frequently Asked Questions

How is school spirit at University of Wisconsin-Madison?

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is widely known for its strong school spirit and passionate fan base, particularly in regards to their athletic teams. Their football team, the Badgers, has a large fan following and sell-out crowds for games at Camp Randall Stadium. The student section, known as the ‘Red Zone,’ is particularly enthusiastic and can often be heard chanting and cheering throughout games. Additionally, there are many traditions and rituals, such as the “Jump Around” during football games, that contribute to the strong school spirit at UW-Madison. Overall, students and alumni alike take great pride in being a Badger and support the university in a variety of ways.

What are some popular extracurriculars at University of Wisconsin-Madison?

University of Wisconsin-Madison offers a wide range of extracurricular activities for its students. Some of the popular extracurricular activities include: 1. Student organizations: UW-Madison has over 900 student organizations, ranging from academic clubs to cultural associations. 2. Intramural and club sports: UW-Madison offers a variety of intramural sports leagues and club sports teams, including basketball, volleyball, soccer, and ultimate frisbee. 3. Volunteer opportunities: The university has partnerships with various community organizations, providing volunteer opportunities to students. 4. Outdoor recreation: UW-Madison’s proximity to lakes, parks, and forests provides students with ample opportunities for outdoor recreation such as hiking, camping, and skiing. 5. Music and performing arts: With its many music and performing arts organizations, students can participate in activities such as a cappella groups, theater productions, and orchestras. 6. Greek life: UW-Madison has a large Greek life community that includes fraternities and sororities. 7. Research and academic conferences: Students can participate in research programs and academic conferences, giving them real-world experience in their chosen fields of study.

How are the food choices at University of Wisconsin-Madison?

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has a great variety of food choices on-campus, including traditional dining halls, food courts, cafes, and markets. They offer a diverse selection of meals to meet the needs of students with various dietary restrictions and preferences. The university also hosts a weekly farmers market and features sustainable and locally sourced products in their dining options. Overall, students praise the dining options at UW-Madison for their quality, variety, and convenience.

Is there Greek life at University of Wisconsin-Madison?

Yes, there is Greek life at University of Wisconsin-Madison. There are over 60 fraternity and sorority chapters on campus that make up a thriving Greek community. Greek life at UW-Madison is governed by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, and offers opportunities for leadership development, community service, and social events.

What is University of Wisconsin-Madison known for?

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is known for its strong academic programs in various fields like engineering, business, medicine, law, education, social sciences, and humanities. It is a top research institution and has ranked among the top public universities in the country. Some of the university’s most notable achievements include having produced more Fortune 500 CEO alumni than any other college globally, 36 Nobel Prize winners, and a long history of contributions to science and technology. It is also known for its vibrant student life, with over 800 clubs and organizations and a strong athletics program.

What are the most popular school clubs at University of Wisconsin-Madison?

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has a wide variety of popular school clubs. Some of the most popular clubs include: 1. Wisconsin Union: The Wisconsin Union is one of the oldest and most popular clubs on campus. It organizes a range of events and activities for students throughout the year. 2. Badger Volunteers: Badger Volunteers is a student organization that offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities throughout the Madison area. 3. Student Government: Student Government is a student-run organization that advocates for student rights and provides a platform for student voices to be heard. 4. The Daily Cardinal: The Daily Cardinal is the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s student-run newspaper. It provides news and coverage of events across campus as well as in the local community. 5. Wisconsin Hillel: Wisconsin Hillel is a Jewish student organization that provides a range of programming, including religious services, social events, and community service opportunities. 6. Wisconsin Student Association: The Wisconsin Student Association is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting the interests of students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 7. Women In Business: Women In Business is a student organization focused on empowering women in the world of business.

Is the campus at University of Wisconsin-Madison safe?

The University of Wisconsin-Madison takes campus safety very seriously and has a number of measures in place to promote a safe environment. The campus police department has highly trained and experienced officers who patrol the campus and surrounding areas 24/7. The university also offers a free campus safety app and emergency alert system to keep students and staff informed in case of emergencies. Additionally, the university has invested in improved lighting and security cameras throughout the campus. While no campus can guarantee 100% safety, UW-Madison has taken steps to ensure a safe and secure campus environment.