University of Wisconsin-Madison

www.wisc.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$9,273

0% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$14,030

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

0.968%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

57.2%

45,915 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

44,640

89.4% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

88.4%

5,516 Graduates

About

University of Wisconsin-Madison is a higher education institution located in Dane County, WI. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at University of Wisconsin-Madison were General Computer & Information Sciences (628 degrees awarded), General Economics (566 degrees), and General Psychology (463 degrees).

In 2020, 16,416 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of Wisconsin-Madison. 54.8% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 45.2% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (11,109 degrees), 11.7 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (947 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison is $9,273, which is $−19,290 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

Photo by Paul Frederickson

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison is $9,273, which is $−19,290 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $14,030.

In 2020, 42% of undergraduate students attending University of Wisconsin-Madison received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 27% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$9,273

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison was $9,273. The cost of tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison is $−19,290 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

This chart compares the tuition costs of University of Wisconsin-Madison (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$14,030

2020 Value

12.9%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 University of Wisconsin-Madison had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $14,030. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of University of Wisconsin-Madison grew by 12.9%.

This chart compares the average net price of University of Wisconsin-Madison (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,558

Room and Board

$1,150

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of Wisconsin-Madison was of $11,558 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,150. The cost of room and board increased by 3.99% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 4.17% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at University of Wisconsin-Madison (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

42%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

27%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

42% of undergraduate students at University of Wisconsin-Madison received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2019, when 42% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at University of Wisconsin-Madison (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.968%

2018 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at University of Wisconsin-Madison was 0.968%, which represents 49 out of the 5061 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

University of Wisconsin-Madison received 45,915 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 4.6% annual growth. Out of those 45,915 applicants, 26,286 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 57.2% acceptance rate.

There were 44,640 students enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2020, and 27% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of Wisconsin-Madison has an overall enrollment yield of 27.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

57.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

26,286

Accepted Out of 45,915

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of Wisconsin-Madison was 57.2% (26,286 admissions from 45,915 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 54.4%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants grew by 4.6%, while admissions grew by 10%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of Wisconsin-Madison (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

27%

Submission Percentage

1,968

Scores Submitted

27% of enrolled first-time students at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of Wisconsin-Madison has a total enrollment of 44,640 students. The full-time enrollment at University of Wisconsin-Madison is 39,887 students and the part-time enrollment is 4,753. This means that 89.4% of students enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Madison are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at University of Wisconsin-Madison, both undergraduate and graduate, is 64.6% White, 7.12% Asian, 6.11% Hispanic or Latino, 3.4% Two or More Races, 2.23% Black or African American, 0.233% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0694% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Madison in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (36.3%), followed by White Male (31.4%) and Asian Female (4.02%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (30.3%), followed by White Male (24.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.45%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

89.4%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of Wisconsin-Madison, both undergraduate and graduate, is 44,640 students. The full-time enrollment at University of Wisconsin-Madison is 39,887 and the part-time enrollment is 4,753. This means that 89.4% of students enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Madison are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of Wisconsin-Madison (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

95%

2020 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of Wisconsin-Madison was 95%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), University of Wisconsin-Madison had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of Wisconsin-Madison (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
28,837
Asian
3,178
Hispanic or Latino
2,729

The enrolled student population at University of Wisconsin-Madison is 64.6% White, 7.12% Asian, 6.11% Hispanic or Latino, 3.4% Two or More Races, 2.23% Black or African American, 0.233% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0694% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,346 students (3.02%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 1568 more women than men received degrees from University of Wisconsin-Madison. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of Wisconsin-Madison is white (11,109 degrees awarded). There were 11.7 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (947 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of Wisconsin-Madison is General Computer & Information Sciences (628 degrees awarded), followed by General Economics (566 degrees) and General Psychology (463 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at University of Wisconsin-Madison, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Cultural & Gender Studies (443 degrees awarded), Natural Resources & Conservation (493 degrees), and Library Science (87 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison are Elementary & middle school teachers (87,889 people), Postsecondary teachers (83,391 people), Other managers (74,383 people), Secondary school teachers (60,613 people), and Software developers (53,642 people).

The most specialized majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison are Cultural & Gender Studies (443 degrees awarded), Natural Resources & Conservation (493 degrees), Library Science (87 degrees), Language & Linguistics (479 degrees), and Math & Statistics (712 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison are Surgeons, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, Sales engineers, and Chief executives & legislators

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison are Elementary & secondary schools (195,197 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (143,515 people), Computer Systems Design (85,073 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (46,525 people), and Management, scientific & technical consulting services (45,721 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Most Common

General Computer & Information Sciences
628 degree-majorss awarded
General Economics
566 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
463 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of Wisconsin-Madison was General Computer & Information Sciences with 628 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at University of Wisconsin-Madison according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

7,424

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

8,992

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 7,424 degrees were awarded to men at University of Wisconsin-Madison, which is 0.826 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (8,992).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 745 degrees were awarded to men at University of Wisconsin-Madison in General Computer & Information Sciences, which is 4.19 times more than the 178 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 371 degrees were awarded to women at University of Wisconsin-Madison in General Psychology, which is 3.09 times more than the 120 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

61%

100% Completion Time

87%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 61% of students graduating from University of Wisconsin-Madison completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 87% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 88% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (93.3%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at University of Wisconsin-Madison is Female and Asian (93.3% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.272% of graduates (15 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
11,109 degrees awarded
Asian
947 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
763 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of Wisconsin-Madison is white (11,109 degrees awarded). There were 11.7 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (947 degrees).

1.57% of degree recipients (257 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Female
6,233 degrees awarded
White Male
4,876 degrees awarded
Asian Female
566 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of Wisconsin-Madison is white female (6,233 degrees awarded). There were 1.28 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (4,876 degrees).

Operations

University of Wisconsin-Madison has an endowment valued at nearly $4.59B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $34.6M (0.755%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, University of Wisconsin-Madison had a total salary expenditure of $3.22B. University of Wisconsin-Madison employs 1,135 Professors, 563 Assistant professors, and 473 Associate professors. Most academics at University of Wisconsin-Madison are Male Professors (724), Female Professors(411), and Female Assistant professors (291).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Wisconsin-Madison are: Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 2280 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 1429 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 1398 employees.

Endowment

$4.59B

2020 Endowment

0.173%

growth from 2019

University of Wisconsin-Madison has an endowment valued at about $4.59B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of University of Wisconsin-Madison grew 0.173% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $4.28B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at University of Wisconsin-Madison (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$588M - Federal
$59M - State
$1.8M - Local

As of 2020, University of Wisconsin-Madison received $588M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $59M from state grants and contracts, and $1.8M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$1.5B

2020 Salaries

10.2%

growth from 2019

In 2020, University of Wisconsin-Madison paid a median of $1.5B in salaries, which represents 46.7% of their overall expenditure ($3.22B) and a 10.2% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 6.59% growth from 2018 and a 3.18% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$296M

Instructional Salaries

2,347

Number of Employees

In 2020, University of Wisconsin-Madison paid a total of $296M to 2,347 employees working as instructors, which represents 19.7% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

1135 Employees

Computer, Engineering, and Science

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

2280 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of Wisconsin-Madison were Professor with 1,135 employees; Assistant professor with 563 employees; and Assistant professor with 473 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Wisconsin-Madison were Computer, Engineering, and Science with 2,280 employees; Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 1,429 employees; and Business and Financial Operations with 1,398 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of Wisconsin-Madison was Male Professor with 724 employees, Female Professor with 411 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 291 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at University of Wisconsin-Madison.