University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Milwaukee, Wisconsin · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a public university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that admits about 88% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $16,177 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Marketing, Psychology, General and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 2.0 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 88%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1090 and an ACT composite around 22. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $16,177 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee?
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee weight in admissions?
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Application essay
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • Recommendations
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Interview
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee typically admits
The middle-50 ACT composite range is 18–24. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | — |
| 50th percentile | 1090 |
| 75th percentile | — |
| % submitting SAT | % |
| 25th percentile | 18 |
| 50th percentile | 22 |
| 75th percentile | 24 |
| % submitting ACT | % |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
How much does University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee actually cost?
Published tuition is $10,020 for in-state students and $22,020 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $10,980 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $16,177 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 30% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $10,398 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $22,398 |
| Room and board | $11,684 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $16,177 |
| Application fee | $0 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
| Regular deadline | 2025-08-01 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Marketing, Psychology, General and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. Across all programs, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee confers roughly 1,760 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Marketing program report a median income of about $64,448 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 299 | $64,448 |
| Psychology, General | 278 | $50,559 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 244 | $77,482 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 223 | $65,224 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 213 | $51,174 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 173 | $68,982 |
| Information Science/Studies | 168 | $71,313 |
| Education, General | 162 | $47,785 |
Is University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee disclosed 33 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.0 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 4 violent offenses and 17 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee?
About 19% of undergraduates at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 0% of men join a fraternity and 0% 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
- University of Wisconsin-Madison43% acceptance
- Marquette University87% acceptance
- Madison Area Technical College73% acceptance
- Milwaukee Area Technical College87% acceptance
- Milwaukee School of Engineering87% acceptance
- Ripon College83% acceptance
- Lawrence University87% acceptance
- Beloit College73% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
What GPA do I need for University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee?
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee typically admit?
The middle-50 ACT composite range is 18–24.
How much does University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee after grants and scholarships is $16,177 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee?
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee accepts about 88% of applicants out of roughly 15,059 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee test-optional?
Yes. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What does University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee look for in applicants?
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 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 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
What are the most popular majors at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee by annual graduates are Marketing, Psychology, General and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. The school awards about 1,760 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee reported 33 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 2.0 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 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee?
At University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 19% of undergraduates live on campus, 0% of men are in fraternities, 0% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.