University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
La Crosse, WI
75.5%
Acceptance Rate
$10,070
Avg Cost (In-State)
$19,517
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
71.1%
Graduation Rate
9,277
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
Rolling
Common App
No
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$50
Interview
Not required
Essays: No essay required for general admission
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$49,626
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$60,378
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
71%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology, General. | $36,823 | $67,446 | 234 |
| Psychology, General. | $31,327 | $55,173 | 173 |
| Marketing. | $46,432 | $61,191 | 169 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $55,965 | $76,227 | 160 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $52,521 | $67,521 | 125 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $40,293 | $56,470 | 123 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | $30,993 | $58,233 | 106 |
| Curriculum and Instruction. | $45,004 | $47,047 | 102 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Bucky Promise
Up to full tuition + fees
universityWisconsin Pell-eligible students at UW Madison; income-based commitment.
Deadline: FAFSA
Learn more ↗Wisconsin Talent Incentive Program (TIP)
Up to $1,800/year
stateWI residents with severe financial need; selected by CCs as part of pre-college services.
Deadline: Through school
Learn more ↗Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation Scholarship
$1,000-$3,000
stateWI ag-pipeline students.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Wisconsin Grant Program
Up to $3,150/year (4-yr publics); $3,750 (privates); $3,150 (tribal); $1,800 (techs)
stateWI residents with financial need at WI institutions.
Deadline: FAFSA early
Learn more ↗Wisconsin Hispanic-Latino Student Grant
Up to $2,200/year
stateWI Hispanic/Latino residents with financial need at WI institutions.
Deadline: FAFSA
Learn more ↗Wisconsin Bucky's Tuition Promise
Full tuition + fees for in-state low-income families
universityWI residents with adjusted gross income up to $65,000 (verified annually). 4-year commitment.
Deadline: FAFSA + admission
Learn more ↗Wisconsin Engineering Scholarships
$1,000-$10,000/year
universityUW Engineering students with academic merit; multiple named departmental awards.
Deadline: February 1
Learn more ↗Wisconsin Indian Student Assistance Grant
Up to $2,200/year
stateWI residents with at least 25% Native American ancestry attending WI institutions.
Deadline: FAFSA
Learn more ↗Marquette Pere Marquette Scholarship
Full tuition + room/board
universityTop Marquette incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 75.5% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
75.5%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
19.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
22.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
73.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
7.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
35.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
86.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
74.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Idaho
Moscow, ID
75.5% acceptance
Both admit around 76% of applicants, with 8k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Miami University-Oxford
Oxford, OH
75.4% acceptance
Both admit around 75% of applicants, with 17k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Coastal Carolina University
Conway, SC
75.3% acceptance
Both admit around 75% of applicants, with 10k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH
84.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (85% vs 76%) but out-of-state cost runs $11k — meaningfully less than $20k.
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL
69.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (70% vs 76%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $20k.
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT
67.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (68% vs 76%) but out-of-state cost runs $7k — meaningfully less than $20k.
Reaches above this college
University of Dayton
Dayton, OH
65.5% acceptance
Same s setting in the Midwest, but more selective (66% vs 76%) — a stretch target if University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is already on your list.
University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR
56.5% acceptance
Same s setting in the region, but more selective (57% vs 76%) — a stretch target if University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is already on your list.
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
7.7% acceptance
Same s setting in the Midwest, but more selective (8% vs 76%) — a stretch target if University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI
85.7% acceptance
Same s setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (86% vs 76%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, MI
87.8% acceptance
Same s setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (88% vs 76%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN
88.8% acceptance
Same s setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (89% vs 76%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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