Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology
Quick Stats
Earnings, Debt & Completion
What happens to students who enroll at University of Wisconsin-Madison, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
Typical debt at graduation equals about 28% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.
Earnings rank: 92nd percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (WI wage index 0.92). This drives the Outcome Rating.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.
Earnings by Major at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.
| Major | 1 yr after | 4 yrs after | vs. national | Rank (pay) | Rank (wage-adj.) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Estate | $73,239 | $120,483 | +42% | #4 of 25 | #3 | $20,138 |
| Computer Engineering | — | $120,068 | +10% | #38 of 189 | #28 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $80,566 | $119,655 | +30% | #48 of 459 | #34 | $20,500 |
| Industrial Engineering | $80,435 | $110,711 | +12% | #14 of 94 | #9 | $23,481 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $68,681 | $107,207 | +29% | #29 of 452 | #25 | $20,181 |
| International Business | $66,591 | $106,783 | +46% | #6 of 115 | #4 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $83,260 | $106,521 | +24% | #19 of 126 | #13 | $22,250 |
| Insurance | $78,796 | $105,992 | +20% | #1 of 21 | #1 | $20,500 |
| Nuclear Engineering | — | $102,449 | +3% | #4 of 12 | #5 | — |
| Chemical Engineering | $85,945 | $101,676 | +4% | #44 of 158 | #41 | $21,638 |
| Mathematics | $67,744 | $101,438 | +46% | #23 of 309 | #20 | $20,080 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $68,909 | $101,390 | +33% | #48 of 796 | #18 | $20,277 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $67,699 | $100,005 | +47% | #28 of 1176 | #18 | $20,000 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $74,094 | $99,762 | +7% | #32 of 118 | #19 | $20,492 |
| Statistics | $64,684 | $99,210 | +7% | #16 of 50 | #13 | $24,250 |
| Marketing | $65,224 | $96,148 | +39% | #11 of 516 | #7 | $20,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $74,611 | $95,114 | +3% | #83 of 318 | #78 | $19,450 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $82,018 | $95,059 | -6% | #181 of 258 | #147 | $22,500 |
| Engineering Mechanics | $72,612 | $92,276 | -1% | — | — | $23,500 |
| Materials Engineering | $76,662 | $91,265 | +-0% | #19 of 34 | #14 | $20,195 |
| Civil Engineering | $71,246 | $87,691 | +1% | #85 of 233 | #51 | $21,500 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $75,513 | $85,579 | -4% | #517 of 966 | #447 | $20,659 |
| Food Science and Technology | — | $85,445 | +21% | #1 of 29 | #1 | — |
| Economics | $54,495 | $85,366 | +3% | #135 of 368 | #103 | $20,500 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $57,760 | $82,081 | +9% | #8 of 27 | #8 | $18,737 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $49,868 | $81,655 | +23% | #5 of 77 | #7 | $12,500 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $67,746 | $78,368 | -7% | #23 of 26 | #21 | $19,970 |
| Physics | $36,878 | $77,380 | +1% | #59 of 107 | #41 | $20,500 |
| Journalism | $40,942 | $75,967 | +35% | #6 of 187 | #2 | $21,500 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $29,866 | $74,963 | +37% | #14 of 610 | #11 | $24,000 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $73,506 | — | — | — | — | $19,247 |
| Geological/Geophysical Engineering | — | $73,337 | -6% | #7 of 7 | #7 | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $44,074 | $72,988 | +11% | #29 of 110 | #13 | $20,000 |
| Agricultural Public Services | $48,092 | $71,726 | +32% | #2 of 10 | #1 | $15,000 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | $41,144 | $70,123 | +13% | #13 of 39 | #5 | $20,000 |
| Biology | $35,798 | $69,005 | +21% | #113 of 841 | #70 | $20,500 |
| Genetics | $38,388 | $68,402 | +4% | #4 of 9 | #3 | $19,500 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $49,186 | $68,397 | +9% | #19 of 49 | #9 | $21,500 |
| Political Science and Government | $42,063 | $66,148 | +5% | #184 of 565 | #130 | $20,500 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $49,780 | $65,874 | +28% | #42 of 299 | #29 | $17,875 |
| Chemistry | $48,886 | $64,734 | -1% | #125 of 209 | #92 | $22,250 |
| Landscape Architecture | — | $63,759 | -4% | #17 of 19 | #12 | — |
| International/Globalization Studies | $40,594 | $63,452 | +6% | #28 of 87 | #22 | $17,732 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $32,049 | $63,061 | +13% | #31 of 85 | #26 | $21,500 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $14,668 | $61,737 | +5% | #68 of 215 | #58 | $25,247 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $37,286 | $61,270 | +9% | #140 of 660 | #87 | $20,500 |
| Philosophy | $35,975 | $61,186 | +12% | #28 of 86 | #20 | $21,500 |
| Geography and Cartography | $42,997 | $59,424 | +3% | #51 of 117 | #40 | $18,689 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $34,504 | $59,329 | -1% | #30 of 53 | #17 | $20,500 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $34,149 | $59,044 | +22% | #12 of 172 | #5 | $20,500 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Town Property Report
- Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 53716 (3.2% cap, Madison)
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🏆 Where University of Wisconsin-Madison Ranks
Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.
Costs & Financial Aid
Tuition & Fees
| Category | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $9,644 | $39,042 |
| Room | $7,433 | |
| Board | $4,350 | |
| Total Cost (On-Campus) | $28,905 | $58,303 |
Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
| Family Income | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $4,458 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $5,268 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $9,613 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,123 |
| $110,001+ | $26,427 |
Programs & Career Paths
Top Degree Programs
Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.
Related Career Paths
Careers that graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison's top programs commonly pursue.
Student Demographics
👥 Race & Ethnicity
🏠 Living Arrangements
💻 Learning Mode
📊 Age Distribution
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at University of Wisconsin-Madison?
How much does it cost to attend University of Wisconsin-Madison?
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Is University of Wisconsin-Madison a good school?
- Outcomes (A+): Graduation and retention rates
- Affordability (C+): Net cost and financial aid access
- Resources (B): Class sizes and selectivity
- Experience (A): Campus life and learning format
- Prestige (B+): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend University of Wisconsin-Madison?
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🎓 Similar Colleges to University of Wisconsin-Madison
Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.
Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology