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Madison, WI · Milwaukee, WI
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $17,354/yr | $15,014/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $4,200/yr | $10,329/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $20,484 | $23,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $4,101/yr | $10,709/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $8,134/yr | $12,344/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $17,763/yr | $19,315/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $27,292/yr | $21,477/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $217/mo | $244/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $14,124/yr | $11,684/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $12,414/yr | $11,684/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,100/yr | $800/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,178/yr | $3,742/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $28,679/yr | $22,756/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $11,603/yr | $10,398/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $42,103/yr | $22,398/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 16% | 33% |
| Students taking federal loans | 20% | 42% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 45% | 91% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1380–1520 | No data reported |
| SAT average | 1427 | 1090 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 29–33 | 18–25 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 28–34 · Math 27–33 | English 17–25 · Math 16–24 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 63,505 | 16,662 |
| Students accepted | 27,529 | 14,736 |
| Students who enrolled | 7,964 | 3,366 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 29% | 23% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 14% | No data reported |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 30% | 68% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 90% | 49% |
| Freshmen who come back | 96% | 73% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $73,792/yr | $54,990/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $52,171–$108,161 | $36,406–$76,601 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 89% | 54% |
| White students graduating | 90% | 52% |
| Black students graduating | 86% | 34% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 87% | 42% |
| Asian students graduating | 90% | 51% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $61,275/yr | $45,851/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 86% | 77% |
| Graduate on time | 75% | 31% |
| Pell students who graduate | 86% | 45% |
| First-gen students who finish | 72% | 45% |
| Low-income students who finish | 66% | 43% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $69,868/yr | $50,789/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 16% · Social Sciences 9% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 8% | Business, Management & Marketing 20% · Health Professions 12% · Computer & Information Sciences 7% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 20% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Social Sciences — 9% of degrees | Health Professions — 12% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 8% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 7% of degrees | Visual & Performing Arts — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 7% of degrees | Psychology — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Engineering, General — $112,855/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $104,446/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 26% | 17% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 36,902 | 16,758 |
| Students per professor | 18 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 13,004 | 4,162 |
| Average professor pay | $15,643/mo | $9,960/mo |
| Full-time professors | 86% | 64% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $92,428 | $50,518 |
| Setting | City (large) | City (large) |
| Location | Madison, WI | Milwaukee, WI |
| Region | Great Lakes | Great Lakes |
| Founded | 1848 | 1885 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 10% | 2.1% |
| Men | 47% | 44% |
| Women | 53% | 56% |
| White students | 59% | 57% |
| Black students | 2.5% | 9.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 8.5% | 17% |
| Asian students | 11% | 7.4% |
| Two or more races | 4.9% | 5.1% |
| Other / not reported | 3.8% | 2.1% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 17% | 33% |
| Part-time students | 4.6% | 12% |
| Students age 25+ | 3.4% | 16% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $21,417/yr | $11,310/yr |
| Endowment | $6.1B | $257.8M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 8,949 | 4,090 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $7,433/yr | $6,297/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $4,350/yr | $4,433/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | Land-grant institution | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division I without football |
| Football team | Yes | No |
| Varsity teams | 20 | 11 |
| Student athletes | 738 | 334 |
| Athletic scholarships | $18.6M | $4.8M |
| Athletics budget | $180.5M | $15.2M |
| Athletics revenue | $190.5M | $15.2M |
| Recruiting spend | $2.4M | $193,429 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.