UW-Madison: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, Wisconsin · Public · Selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-optional
- Early Action
- 73,912
- Applicants
- 30,167
- Admitted41%
- 8,495
- Enrolled
- 28%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Selective41% admittedRanked #34 (tie) in National Universities; Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #15 (tie), Business Programs #15 (tie), Computer Science #22 (tie), Nursing #19 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by University of Wisconsin-Madison (see the source), read on 2026-09-20. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.
Is UW-Madison a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places UW-Madison against it in about a minute. No account needed.
UW-Madison is a public university in Madison, Wisconsin that admits about 41% of applicants, making it a selective school. The average family pays about $17,354 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Computer and Information Sciences, General, Economics and Psychology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 90% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 4.1 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
UW-Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, UW-Madison admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 41%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1450 and an ACT composite around 29. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $17,354 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about UW-Madison right now
The University of Wisconsin-Madison, founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved statehood, is the flagship of the UW System and a public land-grant research university on the shores of Lake Mendota. With about 50,000 students, Madison is a Big Ten member and a charter member of the Association of American Universities, and it consistently ranks among the top public universities for research expenditures. Parents often associate UW-Madison with the Wisconsin Idea, the principle that the university's work should benefit the entire state, and that ethos shapes everything from outreach programs to its strong undergraduate research culture. Distinctive academic strengths include the Wisconsin School of Business, where the Direct Admit program lets first-year applicants enter the business major directly, the College of Engineering, and renowned departments in dairy and food science, communication arts, and political science. For application strategy, UW-Madison reviews applications through the Universities of Wisconsin shared application or the Common Application and has continued a test-optional policy for first-year applicants in recent cycles, while still considering submitted scores. Bucky's Tuition Promise, expanded in 2023 and 2024, covers four years of tuition and segregated fees for admitted Wisconsin residents from households below a defined income threshold, an important affordability anchor for in-state families. Out-of-state admit rates have tightened as application volume has grown, so parents should plan early visits and rigorous coursework accordingly.
What GPA does my child need for UW-Madison?
54% of enrolled students at UW-Madison had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 3.91, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Compare UW-Madison with the other schools on your list
Open UW-Madison in College Search to set it beside up to three other colleges on cost, admission odds and outcomes, and save it to a shortlist when you are ready.
What does UW-Madison weight in admissions?
UW-Madison reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
2- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
Important
5- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurricular activities
- Character/personal qualities
- State residency
Considered
7- Class rank
- Standardized test scores
- Talent/ability
- First generation status
- Geographical residence
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
Not Considered
4- Interview
- Alumni/ae relation
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores UW-Madison typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 710–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 680. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–33. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.
| 25th percentile | 1400 |
| 50th percentile | 1450 |
| 75th percentile | 1490 |
| % submitting SAT | 11.8% |
| 25th percentile | 29 |
| 50th percentile | 31 |
| 75th percentile | 33 |
| % submitting ACT | 28.7% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Test-optional through the spring 2028 term; choice made on the application is final.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on UW-Madison's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 58.4% |
| Top 25% of class | 90.8% |
| Top 50% of class | 99.2% |
| % submitting class rank | 35.5% |
How much does UW-Madison actually cost?
Published tuition is $11,603 for in-state students and $42,103 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,124 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $17,354 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 16% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $10,717 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $44,232 |
| Room and board | $14,994 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $17,354 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 92% |
| Average need-based grant | $34,828 |
| Average merit award, no financial need650 first-year students received one | $7,397 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 33% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $28,931 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $80 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for UW-Madison
| Regular deadline | 1/15 |
| Notification date | 3/31 |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | November 1 |
Will my child graduate from UW-Madison?
These predict outcomes at UW-Madison better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at UW-Madison
The most popular undergraduate programs at UW-Madison, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Computer and Information Sciences, General, Economics and Psychology, General. Across all programs, UW-Madison confers roughly 3,515 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Computer and Information Sciences, General program report a median income of about $118,588 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 733 | $118,588 |
| Economics | 546 | $84,958 |
| Psychology, General | 495 | $61,607 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 463 | $106,484 |
| Biology, General | 389 | $68,812 |
| Political Science and Government | 348 | $68,593 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 293 | n/a |
| Marketing | 248 | $99,093 |
Is UW-Madison safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), UW-Madison disclosed 150 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 4.1 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 41 violent offenses and 52 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at UW-Madison?
About 25% of undergraduates at UW-Madison live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 9% of men join a fraternity and 8% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Wisconsin parents ask about
- Marquette University81% acceptance
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee91% acceptance
- Milwaukee School of Engineering59% acceptance
- Ripon College80% acceptance
- Lawrence University64% acceptance
- Beloit College63% acceptance
- University of Wisconsin-La Crosse76% acceptance
- University of Wisconsin-Green Bay89% acceptance
Next steps for UW-Madison
Common questions parents ask about UW-Madison
What GPA do I need for UW-Madison?
54% of enrolled students at UW-Madison had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 3.91, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does UW-Madison typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 710–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 680. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–33.
How much does UW-Madison actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at UW-Madison after grants and scholarships is $17,354 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $11,603 and $42,103 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is UW-Madison realistic for my child?
UW-Madison admits 41% of applicants, so 710–780 SAT Math is target range and below 710 is a reach. Then check the $17,354 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at UW-Madison?
UW-Madison accepts about 41% of applicants out of roughly 73,912 who apply each year. That makes it a selective school.
Is UW-Madison test-optional?
Yes. UW-Madison is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at UW-Madison?
About 90% of students at UW-Madison graduate within six years, and 76% finish in four years. 96% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does UW-Madison look for in applicants?
UW-Madison rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is UW-Madison a public or private school, and where is it located?
UW-Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin.
What are the most popular majors at UW-Madison?
The largest undergraduate majors at UW-Madison by annual graduates are Computer and Information Sciences, General, Economics and Psychology, General. The school awards about 3,515 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is UW-Madison safe? What is its campus crime rate?
UW-Madison reported 150 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 4.1 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at UW-Madison?
At UW-Madison, 25% of undergraduates live on campus, 9% of men are in fraternities, 8% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by University of Wisconsin-Madison, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers