UW-Madison: the complete school report for parents
UW-Madison puts the most weight on course rigor and GPA. The academic record does most of the work. It does not consider legacy, demonstrated interest and the interview, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With a 40.8% admit rate and 54% of enrolled students at a 4.0 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Computer Engineering graduates earn a median $145,337 against $36,657 for Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management.
UW-Madison is officially University of Wisconsin-Madison, also known as Wisconsin-madison or Wisconsin Badgers. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
Is UW-Madison a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places UW-Madison against the figures above. No account needed.
What does UW-Madison actually weigh in admissions?
UW-Madison rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 4 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is UW-Madison's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How UW-Madison rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Considered |
| the essay | Important |
| extracurricular activities | Important |
| recommendations | Important |
| personal qualities | Important |
| talent | Considered |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Important |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does UW-Madison consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does UW-Madison consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does UW-Madison consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UW-Madison consider the application essay?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UW-Madison consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UW-Madison consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UW-Madison consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UW-Madison consider a special talent or ability?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UW-Madison consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UW-Madison consider demonstrated interest?
No. UW-Madison does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does UW-Madison consider an interview?
No. UW-Madison does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does UW-Madison consider legacy status?
No. UW-Madison does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does UW-Madison consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does UW-Madison consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UW-Madison consider state residency?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UW-Madison consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UW-Madison consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UW-Madison consider religious affiliation?
No. UW-Madison does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
54% of enrolled students had a 4.0 GPA or above. The average was 3.91 on a 4 scale, reported for 94% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 53.9% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 33.72% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 8.5% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 2.9% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 0.73% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.25% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0% |
What is the UW-Madison waitlist really like?
UW-Madison offered a place on its waiting list to 6,476 applicants and 4,317 accepted one. 1,088 were ultimately admitted. That is 25.2% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
UW-Madison admitted 56.7% of 4,677 transfer applicants, against 40.8% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
UW-Madison reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | January 15 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | March 31 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $80 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
UW-Madison requires 17 academic units and recommends 22. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 3 years | 4 years |
| Science | 3 years | 4 years |
| Foreign language | 2 years | 2 years |
What will UW-Madison actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $17,354 a year at UW-Madison after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $10,717. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 92% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 650 merit awards averaging $7,397 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $4,200 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $4,101 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $8,134 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $17,763 |
| Over $110,000 | $27,292 |
33% of UW-Madison graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $28,931 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $217 a month in repayment. UW-Madison’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from UW-Madison pay off?
Graduates earn a median $73,792 ten years after entering, and $61,275 at six years. 90% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 84% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $16,800 | 0.6 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $16,404 | 0.6 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $32,536 | 1.1 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $71,052 | 2.4 |
| Over $110,000 | $109,168 | 3.7 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$145,337 to $36,657, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at UW-Madison:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $145,337 | 115 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $126,855 | 69 |
| Real Estate | $119,949 | 186 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $118,588 | 733 |
| Insurance | $110,596 | 144 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $106,484 | 463 |
| Mathematics | $100,406 | 226 |
| Marketing | $99,093 | 248 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $97,845 | 183 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $53,967 | 161 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $39,038 | 72 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $36,657 | 22 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
96% of first-years return for a second year. 76% graduate within four years and 90% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 85.7% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 91.2% of everyone else, a gap of 5.5 points.
How big are the classes?
45% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 11% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 18:1, and 86% of faculty are full-time. Both are true at once: 11% of sections seat 100 or more, and those are the introductory lectures. Accredited by Higher Learning Commission.
What is life at UW-Madison like?
39,193 undergraduates, 52% of first-years from out of state. 94% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 25% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 9% of men join a fraternity and 8% of women a sorority. 17% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $71,185.
Admitted first-year students receive a housing contract automatically and are guaranteed a residence hall space as long as they sign it and pay the $225 advance payment (plus a $75 non-refundable application fee) by the due date, May 1 for most students. Placement in a particular building or room type is not guaranteed, and residence hall space is not guaranteed after the first year.
Source: First-Year Students, University Housing, UW-Madison
UW-Madison fields 23 NCAA programs as the Wisconsin Badgers and competes in the Big Ten Conference.
UW-Madison reported 3,091 students studying abroad in the 2025 Open Doors data, the first time participation topped 3,000, and 63% of them chose semester or year-long programs. Students choose from 275 study abroad programs.
Source: Annual Report 2025, UW-Madison Study Abroad; Student Life, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Career outcomes are published through the First Destination Survey, which covered 9,124 bachelor's degree recipients from summer 2024 through spring 2025 with verified outcomes for 70% of them.
Source: First Destination Survey Data, SuccessWorks / UW-Madison Career Services
How is UW-Madison ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?
UW-Madison counts 504,072 living alumni. The Wisconsin Alumni Association organizes U.S. and international chapters, identity-based affinity groups, and professional and shared-interest alumni networks.
Source: Facts, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Alumni Chapters and Groups, Wisconsin Alumni Association
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. UW-Madison recommends 22 academic units.
- 54% of enrolled students are at a 4.0 GPA or above, averaging 3.91. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 1,088 of 4,317 who waited were admitted, about 25%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $145,337 five years out against $36,657 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about UW-Madison
What GPA do you 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.
Does the UW-Madison waitlist move?
4,317 students accepted a place on the UW-Madison waiting list and 1,088 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do UW-Madison graduates earn?
UW-Madison graduates earn a median $73,792 ten years after entering, and 90% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with UW-Madison
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: UW-Madison’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.