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University of Wisconsin-Madison

Large 4-year, primarily residential (confers bachelors degrees, FTE enrollment over 9,999, 25 to 49 percent of degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus and at least 50 percent attend full time).
  • 4 years
    Education duration
  • City
    School setting
  • Public
    School type
  • Large
    School size

Cost & Financial aid

Average annual cost

Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.

$16,708

By family income

Depending on the federal, state, or institutional grant aid available, students in your income bracket may pay more or less than the overall average costs.

Family income Average cost
$0–$30,000 $3,753
$30,001–$48,000 $4,697
$48,001–$75,000 $9,844
$75,001–$110,000 $21,706
$110,001+ $26,048

Students receiving federal loans

At some schools where few students borrow federal loans, the typical undergraduate may leave school with $0 in debt.

Graduation & Retention

Graduation rate

Students who return
after their first year

Out of 15,689 students…

Graduated 88%
Transferred 8%
Withdrew 4%

Outcomes

Median total debt after graduation

Total debt after graduation depends on field of study for undergraduate borrowers who complete college.

Repayment rate

Making progress 37%
Paid in full 23%
Not making progress 19%
Deferment 13%
Forbearance 5%
Delinquent 2%
Default 1%
Discharge 0%

Typical earnings salary after completing field of study

Data Not Available

Student body

Student admissions

Student population 45,961
Undergraduate enrollment 33,506
Graduate enrollment 12,455

Full-time

24 and under

Race/Ethnicity

White 66%
Non-resident alien 10%
Asian 9%
Hispanic 7%
Two or more races 4%

Admissions

Admission rate

ACT

ACT Combined

SAT

Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
Math

Programs/Majors

Field of study Graduates
Computer and Information Sciences 628
Economics 566
Psychology 463
Finance and Financial Management Services 404
Biology 376
Political Science and Government 363
Mathematics 296
Communication and Media Studies 290
Journalism 233
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 230
Neurobiology and Neurosciences 227
Marketing 222
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services 214
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology 214
Mechanical Engineering 190
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 189
Business Administration, Management and Operations 178
Natural Resources Conservation and Research 175
Real Estate 156
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations 138
Insurance 137
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 130
History 130
Statistics 128
English Language and Literature 126
Accounting and Related Services 126
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering 121
Industrial Engineering 116
Chemical Engineering 113
Civil Engineering 108
Computer Engineering 98
Health and Physical Education/Fitness 98
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) 97
Sociology 97
Genetics 84
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions 84
International/Global Studies 82
Fine and Studio Arts 82
Biomedical/Medical Engineering 81
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology 76
Chemistry 76
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services 73
Social Work 71
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 70
Zoology/Animal Biology 68
Nutrition Sciences 66
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology 63
Agricultural Engineering 61
Physics 61
Agricultural Public Services 59
Philosophy 54
Special Education and Teaching 51
Animal Sciences 50
Materials Engineering 50
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies 48
Agricultural Business and Management 44
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences 43
Geography and Cartography 41
Astronomy and Astrophysics 40
Management Information Systems and Services 37
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration 36
Engineering Mechanics 35
Design and Applied Arts 35
International Business 34
Area Studies 31
Food Science and Technology 29
Applied Mathematics 29
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 27
Music 27
Anthropology 26
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 25
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education 24
Plant Sciences 23
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services 21
Geological/Geophysical Engineering 19
Landscape Architecture 18
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 18
Pharmacology and Toxicology 18
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology 18
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management 16
Nuclear Engineering 15
Apparel and Textiles 14
Botany/Plant Biology 14
Dance 14
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft 14
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions 14
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 13
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 11
Religion/Religious Studies 10
Forestry 9
Soil Sciences 5
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 4
Engineering Physics 3
Engineering 3
African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 2
Field of study Median earnings
Computer Engineering $81,997
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods $78,814
Computer and Information Sciences $75,282
Real Estate $73,949
Chemical Engineering $73,378
Industrial Engineering $72,895
Mechanical Engineering $71,633
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $68,379
Civil Engineering $67,450
Materials Engineering $66,941
Insurance $66,821
Engineering Mechanics $65,657
Finance and Financial Management Services $65,029
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $64,769
International Business $63,997
Agricultural Engineering $63,749
Statistics $63,005
Accounting and Related Services $62,343
Business Administration, Management and Operations $61,303
Geological/Geophysical Engineering $60,004
Marketing $59,556
Food Science and Technology $58,673
Biomedical/Medical Engineering $55,964
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences $53,358
Mathematics $52,107
Landscape Architecture $50,439
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations $50,439
Nuclear Engineering $49,644
Economics $49,521
Chemistry $47,260
Design and Applied Arts $45,919
Agricultural Business and Management $44,468
Apparel and Textiles $43,426
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics $42,682
Special Education and Teaching $42,123
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) $39,909
Agricultural Public Services $39,639
Journalism $39,585
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods $38,649
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology $38,289
Physics $38,289
Political Science and Government $37,838
Genetics $37,208
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology $36,924
Animal Sciences $36,488
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics $36,377
Communication and Media Studies $35,891
Sociology $35,635
Plant Sciences $35,060
History $35,060
Geography and Cartography $34,847
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas $33,993
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services $33,335
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions $33,281
Nutrition Sciences $32,925
International/Global Studies $32,806
Social Work $32,569
Psychology $32,514
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics $32,391
Health and Physical Education/Fitness $30,771
English Language and Literature $30,336
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft $29,685
Natural Resources Conservation and Research $29,183
Botany/Plant Biology $28,960
Biology $28,598
Zoology/Animal Biology $28,381
Philosophy $28,236
Fine and Studio Arts $28,236
Music $28,236
Area Studies $27,874
Astronomy and Astrophysics $26,353
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies $25,525
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology $24,904
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services $24,035
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management $23,456
Anthropology $23,456
Religion/Religious Studies $20,824
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services $18,154
Field of study Median debt
Agricultural Business and Management $14,000
International Business $14,000
Agricultural Public Services $17,460
Sociology $17,802
Fine and Studio Arts $19,316
Natural Resources Conservation and Research $19,500
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology $19,500
Astronomy and Astrophysics $19,500
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies $19,750
Anthropology $19,775
Genetics $20,000
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics $20,250
Geography and Cartography $20,250
International/Global Studies $20,469
Biomedical/Medical Engineering $20,492
Mechanical Engineering $20,500
English Language and Literature $20,500
Biology $20,500
Mathematics $20,500
Nutrition Sciences $20,500
Physics $20,500
Business Administration, Management and Operations $20,500
Marketing $20,500
Real Estate $20,500
Insurance $20,500
Materials Engineering $20,676
Economics $20,750
Management Information Systems and Services $20,750
Area Studies $20,850
Design and Applied Arts $20,875
History $20,909
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology $20,948
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) $20,980
Psychology $21,215
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services $21,250
Accounting and Related Services $21,294
Social Work $21,398
Finance and Financial Management Services $21,500
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations $21,630
Neurobiology and Neurosciences $21,750
Chemical Engineering $21,947
Political Science and Government $22,000
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods $22,250
Computer and Information Sciences $22,500
Special Education and Teaching $22,863
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods $23,000
Communication and Media Studies $23,250
Journalism $23,250
Civil Engineering $23,250
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $23,250
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology $23,480
Agricultural Engineering $23,500
Industrial Engineering $23,577
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions $23,982
Philosophy $24,216
Zoology/Animal Biology $24,872
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences $25,000
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $25,000
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services $25,952
Animal Sciences $26,000
Apparel and Textiles $26,000
Statistics $26,000
Health and Physical Education/Fitness $26,000
Chemistry $26,043
Engineering Mechanics $26,432
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas $27,000
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions $27,000
Info: Department of Education