University of Wisconsin-Madison

www.wisc.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$9,273

2021 Average Net Price

$13,484

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.289%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

60.4%

53,781 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

47,016

90% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

89.2%

5,582 Graduates

About

University of Wisconsin-Madison is a higher education institution located in Dane County, WI. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of Wisconsin-Madison were General Computer & Information Sciences (668 degrees awarded), General Economics (624 degrees), and General Psychology (447 degrees).

In 2021, 17,417 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of Wisconsin-Madison. 55.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 44.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (11,634 degrees), 11.5 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1,015 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison is $9,273, which is $−19,719 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by Paul Frederickson

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison is $9,273, which is $−19,719 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $13,484.

In 2021, 50% of undergraduate students attending University of Wisconsin-Madison received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 24% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$9,273

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison was $9,273. The cost of tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison is $−19,719 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

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

Average Net Price

$13,484

2021 Value

3.89%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 University of Wisconsin-Madison had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $13,484. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of University of Wisconsin-Madison grew by 3.89%.

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

$12,200

Room and Board

$1,150

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of Wisconsin-Madison was of $12,200 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 5.55% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,150. The cost of books and supplies did not change 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

50%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

24%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

50% of undergraduate students at University of Wisconsin-Madison received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 19% with respect to 2020, 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.

0.289%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at University of Wisconsin-Madison was 0.289%, which represents 15 out of the 5188 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 53,781 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 17.1% annual growth. Out of those 53,781 applicants, 32,459 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 60.4% acceptance rate.

There were 47,016 students enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2021. 15% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of Wisconsin-Madison has an overall enrollment yield of 26.1%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

60.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

32,459

Accepted Out of 53,781

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of Wisconsin-Madison was 60.4% (32,459 admissions from 53,781 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 57.2%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 17.1%, while admissions grew by 23.5%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of Wisconsin-Madison (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

15%

Submission Percentage (2021)

1,279

Scores Submitted (2021)

15% of enrolled first-time students at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2021 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 had a total enrollment of 47,016 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at University of Wisconsin-Madison is 42,333 students and the part-time enrollment is 4,683. This means that 90% 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 62.6% White, 7.75% Asian, 6.64% Hispanic or Latino, 3.78% Two or More Races, 2.32% Black or African American, 0.251% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0659% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Madison in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (35.8%), followed by White Male (29.4%) and Asian Female (4.23%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (30.4%), followed by White Male (23%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.58%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

90%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 47,016 students. The full-time enrollment at University of Wisconsin-Madison is 42,333 and the part-time enrollment is 4,683. This means that 90% of students enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Madison are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% 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%

2021 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 (84%), 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 (2021)

White
29,417 enrolled students
Asian
3,645 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,123 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of Wisconsin-Madison is 62.6% White, 7.75% Asian, 6.64% Hispanic or Latino, 3.78% Two or More Races, 2.32% Black or African American, 0.251% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0659% 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 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% 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, 1,335 students (2.84%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 1,947 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 (11,634 degrees awarded). There were 11.5 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1015 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of Wisconsin-Madison is General Computer & Information Sciences (668 degrees awarded), followed by General Economics (624 degrees) and General Psychology (447 degrees).

In 2021, 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 (481 degrees awarded), Natural Resources & Conservation (491 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (474 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Postsecondary 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 Postsecondary teachers (86,953 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (82,091 people), Other managers (78,234 people), Secondary school teachers (68,977 people), and Software developers (58,378 people).

The most specialized majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2021 are Cultural & Gender Studies (481 degrees awarded), Natural Resources & Conservation (491 degrees), Language & Linguistics (474 degrees), Library Science (90 degrees), and Math & Statistics (673 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Media and communication workers, all other

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 Media and communication workers, all other, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Surgeons, Physicians, and Sales engineers

The most specialized majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison are Cultural & Gender Studies (481 degrees awarded), Natural Resources & Conservation (491 degrees), Language & Linguistics (474 degrees), Library Science (90 degrees), and Math & Statistics (673 degrees) (as of 2021).

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 (198,814 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (150,395 people), Computer Systems Design (90,825 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (48,744 people), and Management, scientific & technical consulting services (46,912 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 (2021)

General Computer & Information Sciences
668 degree-majors awarded
General Economics
624 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
447 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of Wisconsin-Madison was General Computer & Information Sciences with 668 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

7,735

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

9,682

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 7,735 degrees were awarded to men at University of Wisconsin-Madison, which is 0.799 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (9,682).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 792 degrees were awarded to men at University of Wisconsin-Madison in General Computer & Information Sciences, which is 3.62 times more than the 219 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 367 degrees were awarded to men at University of Wisconsin-Madison in General Psychology, which is 4.17 times more than the 88 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

62%

100% Completion Time

88%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 62% 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, 88% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 89% 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.

White Female

Highest Graduation Rate (91.2%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at University of Wisconsin-Madison is Female and White (91.2% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

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, 0.197% of graduates (11 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
11,634 degrees awarded
Asian
1,015 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
928 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of Wisconsin-Madison is white (11,634 degrees awarded). There were 11.5 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1015 degrees).

2.42% of degree recipients (422 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
6,690 degrees awarded
White Male
4,944 degrees awarded
Asian Female
584 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of Wisconsin-Madison is white female (6,690 degrees awarded). There were 1.35 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (4944 degrees).

Operations

University of Wisconsin-Madison has an endowment valued at nearly $5.66B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 118M (2.08%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, University of Wisconsin-Madison had a total salary expenditure of 3.1B. University of Wisconsin-Madison employs 1,117 Professors, 555 Assistant professors and 456 Associate professors. Most academics at University of Wisconsin-Madison are Male Professor (720), Female Professor (397), and Female Assistant professor (290).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Wisconsin-Madison are: Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 2,260 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 1,436 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 1,410 employees.

Endowment

$5.66B

2021 Endowment

23.4%

growth from 2020

University of Wisconsin-Madison has an endowment valued at about $5.66B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of University of Wisconsin-Madison grew 23.4% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $5.27B 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

$609M - Federal
$50M - State
$1.22M - Local

As of 2021, University of Wisconsin-Madison received $609M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $50M from state grants and contracts, and $1.22M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$1.54B

2021 Salaries

2.87%

growth from 2020

In 2021, University of Wisconsin-Madison paid a median of $1.54B in salaries, which represents 49.8% of their overall expenditure ($3.1B) and a 2.87% growth from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$301M

Instructional Salaries

2,341

Number of Employees

In 2021, University of Wisconsin-Madison paid a total of $301M to 2,341 employees working as instructors, which represents 19.5% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

1,117 Employees

Computer, Engineering, and Science

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

2,260 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of Wisconsin-Madison were Professor with 1,117 employees, Assistant professor with 555 employees, and Associate professor with 456 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Wisconsin-Madison were Computer, Engineering, and Science with 2,260 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 1,436 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 1,410 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of Wisconsin-Madison was Male Professor with 720 employees, Female Professor with 397 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 290 employees.

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