Madison, WI · Public · 36,902 undergraduates · urban
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Selective
A huge research university ties its identity to public service while lakefront union culture gives campus an unmistakable social center.
Institutional profile
Top tier Strong in academic standing, and strong in affordability.- Admission
- 43.4% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 89.1%
63,505 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$73,792 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Wisconsin–Madison apart
Academic design
The Wisconsin Idea treats teaching, research, and service as work intended to benefit people beyond campus.
Campus pattern
Memorial Union Terrace on Lake Mendota combines dining, recreation, outdoor gathering, performances, and seasonal programming.
A signature opportunity
Wisconsin Idea
Can I get in?
43.4% admitted
Applicants seeking direct entry to business or engineering must list a corresponding major as their first choice.
Recent applicant pool
63,505About 43 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 14% submitted an SAT, and 30% submitted an ACT. Because SAT scores came from few admitted students, the range describes that self-selected group rather than the full class.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Wisconsin–Madison, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Wisconsin–Madison weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
The Wisconsin Idea treats teaching, research, and service as work intended to benefit people beyond campus.
Make institutional fit specific
A student wanting research-university scale, public-service traditions, and a social geography built around lakes and central gathering spaces.
Use the application route carefully
Applicants seeking direct entry to business or engineering must list a corresponding major as their first choice.
Give commitments a clear through-line
Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Applicants seeking direct entry to business or engineering must list a corresponding major as their first choice.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
BusinessAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Teacher preparationAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
EngineeringAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
NursingAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
University of Wisconsin-Madison publishes one merit award, the largest reaching full tuition or more. No separate scholarship application is required; the college uses the admission application. All of them renew past the first year.
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews
In the season card
This award, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- How to be considered
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Wisconsin–Madison
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read the outcomes panel as a whole: completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together matter more than one headline number.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Admits separately
Psychology, General
Economics
Finance and Financial Management Services
Admits separately
Biology, General
What is campus life like?
Wisconsin–Madison beyond the classroom
Memorial Union Terrace on Lake Mendota combines dining, recreation, outdoor gathering, performances, and seasonal programming. The Wisconsin Union formally treats extracurricular and recreational activity as part of student learning.
The academic structure
The Wisconsin Idea treats teaching, research, and service as work intended to benefit people beyond campus.
How the community is organized
Memorial Union Terrace on Lake Mendota combines dining, recreation, outdoor gathering, performances, and seasonal programming.
Daily campus life
The Wisconsin Union formally treats extracurricular and recreational activity as part of student learning.
What shapes an ordinary week
Memorial Union Terrace on Lake Mendota combines dining, recreation, outdoor gathering, performances, and seasonal programming. The Wisconsin Union formally treats extracurricular and recreational activity as part of student learning.
Use the campus beyond class
A student wanting research-university scale, public-service traditions, and a social geography built around lakes and central gathering spaces.
Fit the community in practice
Some professional schools and majors require separate or direct-entry admission.