45.2%
Acceptance Rate
$11,603
Avg Cost (In-State)
$42,103
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
89.4%
Graduation Rate
36,902
Total Enrollment
What they weigh most
Source: Common Data Set
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
February 1
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
2
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$60
Interview
Not required
Essays: One main personal statement (Common App essay) plus one UW-Madison supplemental essay (200-650 words)
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
$61,275
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$73,792
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
89%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics. | $54,495 | $85,366 | 353 |
| Psychology, General. | $31,985 | $58,901 | 295 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $68,681 | $107,207 | 270 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $75,513 | $85,579 | 269 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $80,566 | $119,655 | 265 |
| Political Science and Government. | $42,063 | $66,148 | 227 |
| Biology, General. | $35,798 | $69,005 | 224 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $37,286 | $61,270 | 218 |
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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Calculate Your Cost at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend University of Wisconsin-Madison
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 45.2% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
45.2%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD
44.8% acceptance
Both admit around 45% of applicants, with 31k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Auburn University
Auburn, AL
45.9% acceptance
Both admit around 46% of applicants, with 27k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA
46.3% acceptance
Both admit around 46% of applicants, with 36k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN
53% acceptance
Similar selectivity (53% vs 45%) but out-of-state cost runs $29k — meaningfully less than $42k.
Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, IN
49.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (50% vs 45%) but out-of-state cost runs $29k — meaningfully less than $42k.
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR
54.6% acceptance
Similar selectivity (55% vs 45%) but out-of-state cost runs $5k — meaningfully less than $42k.
Reaches above this college
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
17.7% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (18% vs 45%) — a stretch target if University of Wisconsin-Madison is already on your list.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI
15.6% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (16% vs 45%) — a stretch target if University of Wisconsin-Madison is already on your list.
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
11.3% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (11% vs 45%) — a stretch target if University of Wisconsin-Madison is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL
69.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (70% vs 45%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Miami University-Oxford
Oxford, OH
75.4% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (75% vs 45%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND
76.9% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (77% vs 45%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From WI community colleges
articulation onlyUW-Madison participates in the Wisconsin Transfer Equivalency System and has formal Guaranteed Transfer Agreements with all 13 UW System two-year colleges and the Wisconsin Technical College System. Madison College feeds the largest transfer cohort. The Connections Program allows…
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