University of Wisconsin - Madison
Basic Information
Type
Public
Geographical Reach
National
Location
Madison, WI
Population
600,000
Website
http://www.wisc.edu/
Demographics
Total Undergraduates
35,665
Men / Women
47% / 53%
White
56%
Asian
10%
International
10%
Hispanic
7%
Mixed
4%
Black
3%
Native American
1%
From State
45%
From Region
23%
Academics
Undergraduate Degrees
Business & Economics
23%
Life & Natural Sciences
15%
Engineering
12%
Computer Science
11%
Health Sciences
5%
Physical Sciences & Math
4%
Education
3%
Arts
2%
Financial
In-State Tuition & Fees
$12,186
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$44,210
Est. In-State Cost
$15,764
Est. Out-of-State Cost
$57,190
10-Year ROI
$257,000
ROI Percentile
94th
Retention & Graduation
Full-Time Retention
96%
4-Year Graduation Rate
75%
6-Year Graduation Rate
90%
Transfer-Out Rate
0%
Weather
Comfortable Days
105 (50%) very dry
Sunshine Hours
2,370 (24%)
Days Without Precipitation
244 (43%)
Admissions
Uses Common App
Yes
Acceptance Rate
41%
Yield (Unbound)
29%
Early Action
Nov 1
Regular Decision
Jan 1
Research
Research Level
R1
Expenditure
| Life & Natural Sciences | $1,388M | #6 |
| Humanities & Social Sciences | $102M | #7 |
| Engineering, Computing & Math | $246M | #20 |
Graduate Degrees
| Life & Natural Sciences | 859 | #7 |
| Humanities & Social Sciences | 539 | #17 |
| Engineering, Computing & Math | 186 | #24 |
Honors College
Standardized Tests
Test Scores
Test Policy
optional
Submitted Test Scores
44%
SAT Range
1400
–
1490
SAT Math Range
710
–
780
SAT RW Range
670
–
740
ACT Range
29
–
33
Earnings by Major Category
Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).
Schools & Majors
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Agricultural and Life Sciences | 423 | 28% / 72% | 4% | $63,698 | 96% | ||
| Biological Systems Engineering | 31 — | 58% / 42% | 3% | $78,773 | 82 | 97% | |
| Agroecology | 2 — | 50% / 50% | 0% | $54,969 | 33 | — | |
| Animal Sciences | 25 +2 | 8% / 92% | 4% | $57,024 | 39 | 100% | |
| Dairy and Food Animal Management | 11 — | 27% / 73% | 0% | $57,024 | 39 | 100% | |
| Entomology | 5 +1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $49,352 | 18 | 94% | |
| Environmental Studies | 50 +52 | 20% / 80% | 2% | $53,967 | 30 | 94% | |
| Food Science | 16 — | 44% / 56% | 12% | $74,120 | 77 | 100% | |
| Forest Science | 2 — | 50% / 50% | 0% | $53,040 | 28 | — | |
| Genetics and Genomics | 92 +13 | 23% / 77% | 5% | $68,301 | 67 | 92% | |
| Horticultural Science | 12 +1 | 25% / 75% | 0% | $57,457 | 40 | — | |
| Nutritional Sciences | 54 +3 | 13% / 87% | 4% | $65,131 | 61 | 95% | |
| Plant Pathology | 2 +1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $49,944 | 19 | 95% | |
| Soil Science | 2 +1 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $56,706 | 38 | — | |
| Wildlife Ecology | 28 — | 46% / 54% | 4% | $36,657 | 3 | 100% | |
| Agricultural Business Management | 15 — | 53% / 47% | 7% | $74,752 | 78 | 95% | |
| Agricultural and Applied Economics | 18 +3 | 44% / 56% | 6% | $74,752 | 78 | 95% | |
| Agricultural Communication | 45 +15 | 27% / 73% | 2% | $69,239 | 69 | 100% | |
| Rural Sociology | 13 +5 | 15% / 85% | 0% | $60,766 | 50 | 98% |
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Engineering | 928 | 70% / 30% | 12% | $100,257 | 97% | ||
| Biomedical Engineering | 112 +3 | 46% / 54% | 6% | $94,667 | 93 | 95% | |
| Chemical Engineering | 111 +9 | 63% / 37% | 23% | $102,023 | 96 | 98% | |
| Civil Engineering | 86 +3 | 56% / 44% | 2% | $83,988 | 87 | 96% | |
| Computer Engineering | 75 +32 | 81% / 19% | 23% | $145,337 | 100 | 98% | |
| Electrical Engineering | 90 +7 | 76% / 24% | 21% | $93,494 | 93 | 93% | |
| Engineering | 3 — | 100% / 0% | 0% | $99,298 | 95 | — | |
| Engineering Mechanics | 40 +1 | 90% / 10% | 5% | $86,480 | 89 | 100% | |
| Engineering Physics (Nuclear) | 3 — | 100% / 0% | 0% | $99,124 | 95 | — | |
| Engineering Undecided | — — | — | — | $99,337 | 95 | — | |
| Environmental Engineering | 10 — | 20% / 80% | 10% | $83,013 | 86 | — | |
| Geological Engineering | 4 +5 | 50% / 50% | 0% | $86,070 | 88 | 100% | |
| Industrial Engineering | 95 +10 | 71% / 29% | 6% | $110,022 | 98 | 98% | |
| Materials Science and Engineering | 39 +1 | 64% / 36% | 10% | $85,207 | 88 | 95% | |
| Mechanical Engineering | 250 +4 | 83% / 17% | 11% | $97,845 | 95 | 98% | |
| Nuclear Engineering | 10 — | 80% / 20% | 0% | $110,897 | 98 | 91% |
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Letters and Science | 4,560 | 48% / 52% | 14% | $75,878 | 96% | ||
| Computer Science | 665 +210 | 83% / 17% | 29% | $118,588 | 99 | 96% | |
| Data Science | 246 +162 | 70% / 30% | 36% | $89,811 | 91 | — | |
| Information Science | 26 +10 | 54% / 46% | 23% | $102,890 | 97 | — | |
| Applied Mathematics | 9 +2 | 67% / 33% | 44% | $102,911 | 97 | — | |
| Astrophysics | 20 +13 | 50% / 50% | 5% | $66,385 | 63 | 100% | |
| Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences | 10 +4 | 50% / 50% | 10% | $53,346 | 28 | 100% | |
| Chemistry | 54 +17 | 56% / 44% | 20% | $73,896 | 77 | 95% | |
| Geology and Geophysics | 16 +5 | 56% / 44% | 0% | $71,564 | 73 | 97% | |
| Mathematics | 120 +78 | 77% / 23% | 43% | $100,406 | 96 | 92% | |
| Physics | 33 +16 | 82% / 18% | 21% | $69,928 | 70 | 96% | |
| Statistics | 51 +24 | 69% / 31% | 43% | $97,226 | 95 | 100% | |
| Biochemistry | 150 +17 | 55% / 45% | 6% | $71,370 | 73 | 96% | |
| Biology | 354 +39 | 35% / 65% | 3% | $68,812 | 68 | 96% | |
| Botany | 11 +6 | 45% / 55% | 9% | $49,944 | 19 | 95% | |
| Conservation Biology | 58 +30 | 26% / 74% | 0% | $39,796 | 5 | 97% | |
| Environmental Sciences | 56 +16 | 38% / 62% | 2% | $53,967 | 30 | 94% | |
| Microbiology | 53 +6 | 42% / 58% | 0% | $65,144 | 61 | 97% | |
| Molecular Biology | 32 +9 | 44% / 56% | 3% | $71,370 | 73 | 96% | |
| Neurobiology | 223 +49 | 36% / 64% | 5% | $57,648 | 41 | 100% | |
| Zoology | 34 +10 | 32% / 68% | 6% | $49,352 | 18 | 94% | |
| Communication Sciences and Disorders | 71 +8 | 10% / 90% | 0% | $63,832 | 58 | 97% | |
| Economics | 431 +159 | 72% / 28% | 22% | $84,958 | 87 | 96% | |
| African American Studies | 2 +1 | 50% / 50% | 0% | $52,025 | 25 | 88% | |
| African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 1 +1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $60,163 | 48 | — | |
| Anthropology | 22 +9 | 23% / 77% | 0% | $50,446 | 20 | 91% | |
| Cartography and Geographic Information Systems | 13 +8 | 77% / 23% | 8% | $62,158 | 54 | 98% | |
| Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies | 2 +5 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $52,025 | 25 | 88% | |
| Chinese | 6 +5 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $59,904 | 48 | — | |
| Classics | 3 +4 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $58,711 | 44 | — | |
| Communication Arts | 208 +44 | 36% / 64% | 14% | $57,874 | 42 | 96% | |
| English | 72 +28 | 26% / 74% | 1% | $53,044 | 28 | 96% | |
| French | 11 +10 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $60,761 | 50 | 94% | |
| Gender and Women's Studies | 19 +18 | 5% / 95% | 0% | $52,025 | 25 | 88% | |
| Geography | 23 +11 | 39% / 61% | 4% | $62,158 | 54 | 98% | |
| German | 5 +3 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $59,925 | 48 | — | |
| History | 92 +39 | 62% / 38% | 2% | $58,333 | 43 | 91% | |
| International Studies | 69 +36 | 23% / 77% | 12% | $61,225 | 51 | 90% | |
| Italian | — +2 | — | — | $60,388 | 49 | — | |
| Japanese | 8 +4 | 62% / 38% | 25% | $59,661 | 47 | — | |
| Jewish Studies | 2 +1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $53,678 | 29 | — | |
| Journalism | 154 +36 | 22% / 78% | 11% | $68,253 | 67 | 97% | |
| Latin | 1 +1 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $60,383 | 49 | — | |
| Latin American and Caribbean Studies | 3 +2 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $51,831 | 24 | 82% | |
| Legal Studies | 90 +47 | 21% / 79% | 1% | $65,938 | 63 | 98% | |
| Linguistics | 20 +6 | 35% / 65% | 0% | $59,329 | 46 | — | |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | — — | — | — | $55,683 | 35 | — | |
| Philosophy | 35 +22 | 60% / 40% | 3% | $56,645 | 38 | 97% | |
| Polish | 4 — | 25% / 75% | 0% | $60,362 | 49 | — | |
| Political Science | 231 +105 | 43% / 57% | 4% | $68,593 | 68 | 95% | |
| Portuguese | 2 +2 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $60,761 | 50 | 94% | |
| Psychology | 424 +124 | 20% / 80% | 9% | $61,607 | 52 | 95% | |
| Religious Studies | 2 +7 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $52,839 | 27 | — | |
| Russian | 3 +3 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $59,923 | 48 | — | |
| Scandinavian Studies | 1 +3 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $51,831 | 24 | 82% | |
| Social Welfare | 50 +7 | 10% / 90% | 2% | $57,400 | 40 | 93% | |
| Sociology | 63 +24 | 25% / 75% | 14% | $60,766 | 50 | 98% | |
| South Asian Studies | 11 +5 | 27% / 73% | 9% | $51,831 | 24 | 82% | |
| Spanish | 63 +57 | 21% / 79% | 0% | $60,761 | 50 | 94% | |
| Sustainability Studies | 89 +21 | 17% / 83% | 1% | $59,362 | 46 | — | |
| Art History | 13 +8 | 8% / 92% | 0% | $39,038 | 4 | 91% | |
| Landscape and Urban Studies | 20 +1 | 40% / 60% | 0% | $62,484 | 55 | 100% |
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mead Witter School of Music | 27 | 44% / 56% | 0% | $44,095 | 89% | ||
| Music | 12 +5 | 58% / 42% | 0% | $43,311 | 8 | 86% | |
| Music Education | 7 — | 14% / 86% | 0% | $46,338 | 12 | 100% | |
| Music Performance | 8 — | 50% / 50% | 0% | $43,311 | 8 | 86% |
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School of Education | 480 | 25% / 75% | 5% | $58,813 | 96% | ||
| Kinesiology | 118 +1 | 40% / 60% | 1% | $70,830 | 72 | 96% | |
| Rehabilitation Psychology | 28 +3 | 11% / 89% | 0% | $60,975 | 51 | 98% | |
| Educational Policy Studies | 26 +21 | 23% / 77% | 46% | $56,624 | 38 | — | |
| Elementary Education | 112 +11 | 16% / 84% | 5% | $51,263 | 23 | 96% | |
| Physical Education | 10 — | 60% / 40% | 0% | $46,338 | 12 | 100% | |
| Physical Education and Sport Science | 88 +10 | 14% / 86% | 1% | $70,830 | 72 | 96% | |
| Special Education | 17 +12 | 18% / 82% | 0% | $55,063 | 33 | 91% | |
| Art | 53 +5 | 34% / 66% | 8% | $39,038 | 4 | 92% | |
| Art Education | 12 — | 17% / 83% | 8% | $46,338 | 12 | 100% | |
| Dance | 8 +4 | 25% / 75% | 0% | $41,699 | 6 | — | |
| Theatre and Drama | 8 +2 | 50% / 50% | 0% | $45,074 | 10 | 92% |
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School of Human Ecology | 596 | 37% / 63% | 3% | $77,361 | 97% | ||
| Consumer Finance and Financial Planning | 164 +10 | 77% / 23% | 2% | $106,484 | 97 | 96% | |
| Retailing and Retail Operations | 259 +10 | 29% / 71% | 4% | $73,814 | 76 | 98% | |
| Family and Community Services | 25 +8 | 28% / 72% | 0% | $55,416 | 34 | 98% | |
| Human Development and Family Studies | 100 +15 | 4% / 96% | 2% | $55,416 | 34 | 98% | |
| Apparel and Textiles | 20 — | 25% / 75% | 5% | $47,873 | 15 | 90% | |
| Interior Design | 28 — | 0% / 100% | 0% | $58,646 | 44 | 93% |
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School of Nursing | 206 | 17% / 83% | 0% | $81,103 | 96% | ||
| Nursing | 206 — | 17% / 83% | 0% | $81,103 | 84 | 96% |
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School of Pharmacy | 58 | 26% / 74% | 5% | $133,233 | 96% | ||
| Pharmaceutical Sciences | 43 — | 23% / 77% | 2% | $143,810 | 100 | 96% | |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 15 +6 | 33% / 67% | 13% | $102,913 | 97 | — |
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin School of Business | 991 | 57% / 43% | 5% | $104,412 | 97% | ||
| Accounting | 108 +15 | 54% / 46% | 1% | $96,130 | 94 | 99% | |
| Actuarial Science | 37 +24 | 62% / 38% | 24% | $126,855 | 99 | 100% | |
| Business Administration | 82 +41 | 56% / 44% | 4% | $92,203 | 92 | 98% | |
| Finance, Investment, and Banking | 306 +100 | 72% / 28% | 7% | $106,484 | 97 | 96% | |
| International Business | 25 +20 | 40% / 60% | 0% | $103,185 | 97 | 95% | |
| Management Information Systems | 39 +18 | 56% / 44% | 3% | $106,584 | 97 | 91% | |
| Marketing | 170 +73 | 31% / 69% | 3% | $99,093 | 95 | 99% | |
| Operations and Technology Management | 51 +40 | 41% / 59% | 2% | $92,203 | 92 | 98% | |
| Professional Selling | 4 — | 25% / 75% | 0% | $73,814 | 76 | 98% | |
| Real Estate and Urban Land Economics | 105 +68 | 68% / 32% | 0% | $119,949 | 99 | 94% | |
| Risk Management and Insurance | 64 +52 | 59% / 41% | 9% | $110,596 | 98 | 93% |
Rankings
Fun and Games
Party til You Drop (Out)
Party Schools
Legendary
Politically Incorrect
Equal Opportunity Objectification
Most Attractive Men
Rugged & Bookish
My Tribe
Call Your Mother!
Most Jewish
Huge Community
Engineering
Farming with Numbers
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
Farm to Lab
It's Not About Molecules, It's About Pipes
Chemical Engineering
Dinosaur Juice
Playing House
Civil Engineering
Project Managers
Resistance Is Futile
Computer Engineering
Segfault Survivors & Kernel Panickers
Resistance Is Not Futile
Electrical Engineering
Dangerously Grounded
Making Spreadsheets Go Brrrr
Industrial Engineering
The Classics
Is It a Solid? Is It a Liquid? Yes.
Materials Engineering
Solid State
WD-40 & Duct Tape
Mechanical Engineering & Robotics
Mad Scientists' Machine Shop
We Glow In The Dark
Nuclear Engineering
Reactor Masters
Computer Science
Chat-GPT? Claude? I can do better.
Artificial Intelligence
Solid Programs
Explaining That HTML is Not a Programming Language
Computer Science (A&S)
LeetCode Grinders
Physical Sciences & Math
Quants, Proofs & p < 0.05
Applied Mathematics & Statistics
The Public Data Powerhouses
Breaking Bad
Chemistry
Mega-Lab Multiverse
Rocks and Whales
Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
Core Samplers
The "I Understand Interstellar" Elite
Physics & Astronomy
The Atom Whisperers
No Words Allowed
Pure Mathematics
Equation Elegance
Life & Natural Sciences
Pre-Med Reject Waiting Room
Biology
The Double Helix
Photosynthesis Fan Club
Ecology & Plant Biology
Tree-Hugger Royalty
Doomsday Prepping with Data
Environmental Science
Ecosystem Engineers
Better Eating Through Chemistry
Food Science & Nutrition
The Flavor Engineers
Memorizing 206 Bones
Human Biology
Muscle Memory
Action Potentials
Neuroscience
Serotonin Seekers
Farmers, Cowboys, and Tree Huggers
Plant & Agricultural Systems
The Land Grants
Puppies Over People
Zoology & Veterinary Sciences
We Can Pet It AND Fix Its Spleen
Health Sciences
Where Diagnoses Begin
Laboratory Sciences
Pipette Pioneers
Future Heroes (With 12-Hour Shifts)
Nursing
Scrub Life
Legal Drug Dealers
Pharmacy
Dosage Masters
Talk About a Career
Phonoaudiology
Voice Coaches Plus
Saving Lives One Spreadsheet At a Time
Public Health
Public Health Pros
Sweat Equity
Sports & Fitness
Game Day Ready
Business & Economics
LIFO the Party
Accounting
Big Four Pipeline
The House Always Wins
Actuarial Science
We Don't Predict the Future, We Charge You for It
Show Me the Bushels
Agribusiness & Economics
Wall Street of Wheat
PowerPoint Presentation Power Rankings
Business Administration
Regional Boardroom Rulers
Pivot Tables & Missing Pallets
Business Analytics
Just-In-Time Jugglers
It's Basic Supply and Demand, Bro
Economics
Mega-Macro State Factories
Wolf of Wall Street Prep
Finance
Fortune 500 Feeders
Office Politics 101
Human Resources
Org Chart Architects
Passport Stamp Power Rankings
International Business
Fluent in Four Languages, One of Them PowerPoint
Tik-Tok Generation
Marketing
The Creatives
Humanities & Social Sciences
Much Ado About Nothing
English, Literature & Writing
Bookworm Elite
Saving the Planet, One Policy at a Time
Environmental Policy & Sustainability
Climate Cabinet
Smashing the Patriarchy 101
Gender Studies
Discourse Disruptors
Mappy Few, the Cartography Crew
Geography & Cartography
Cartography Cartel
Model UN Generation
Government & Politics
Campaign Trail
Hindsight is 20/20 (And So is My Salary)
History & Archaeology
Primary Source Hunters
Passport Stamp Collectors
International Relations
Globe Trotters
Nosy for a Living
Journalism
Statehouse Press-Corps Factories
Professional Yapping
Media & Communication Studies
State-Funded Media Monoliths
Spin Class
Professional Communication
State-Flagship Spin Machines
I Want To Understand Myself
Psychology
Future Roommate Diagnosers
Arguing with God for a Grade
Religion
The Seekers
Everything is a Construct
Sociology & Anthropology
Social Theorists
Grammar Police Academy
World Languages & Linguistics
Grammar Nerds
Education
No Johnny, Don't Eat Your Buggers
Early Education
Brat Whisperers
Surviving PTA Karens
General Education
Shaping the Shapers
Hablas Pedagogy?
Languages Education
Grammar Gurus
Gym Class Heroes
Physical Education
Picked First in Gym
History Repeats Itself
Social Sciences Education
Civics Class Stars
Everyone Gets a Medal
Special Education
Inclusive Classroom Crew
Gym Class Heroes and Art Teachers
Specific Subjects Education
Studio to Schoolroom
Show Your Work, Then Teach It
STEM Education
Future Khan Academies
Arts
The "Will Paint for Food" Brigade
Fine & Studio Arts
State School Studio Stars
Eight Hours of Scales
Music
Practice Room Prophets