UW-Madison acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
University of Wisconsin-Madison · Public · Madison, WI · 36,797 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
UW-Madison admitted 43.3% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 67.9% in 2013. Wisconsin residents pay $12,166 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $44,191.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 67.9% | 23,324 | 15,841 |
| 2014 | 56.9% | 25,438 | 14,484 |
| 2015 | 57.6% | 28,007 | 16,134 |
| 2016 | 52.6% | 32,839 | 17,281 |
| 2017 | 53.8% | 35,596 | 19,153 |
| 2018 | 51.7% | 42,727 | 22,104 |
| 2019 | 54.4% | 43,896 | 23,886 |
| 2020 | 57.2% | 45,915 | 26,286 |
| 2021 | 60.4% | 53,781 | 32,459 |
| 2022 | 49.1% | 60,214 | 29,539 |
| 2023 | 43.3% | 63,505 | 27,529 |
Applications went from 23,324 in fall 2013 to 63,505 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.2
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $3,424 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $3,837 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $6,026 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $15,839 |
| Over $110,000 | $28,208 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $12,166 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $44,191 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $29,943 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $16,600 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.1
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 14% submitted the SAT, 30% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.2
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| UWM WI | 88.4% | $10,916 in-state |
| UIUC IL | 43.7% | $16,354 in-state |
| University of Washington WA | 42.5% | $13,406 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
UW-Madison's fall 2023 admit rate was 43.3%, with 27,529 students admitted from 63,505 applications.2 A decade ago, in fall 2013, the rate was 67.9%, a decline of 24.6 percentage points.2 The rate declined in 5 of the 10 yearly changes, and the lowest rates are in the latest falls.2 Applications grew 172%, from 23,324 to 63,505, while admits grew 74%, which explains why the rate fell.2
Test scores are optional. About 30% of entrants submitted ACT scores, with a middle 50% of 28 to 32, and 14% submitted SAT scores.2
Wisconsin residents pay $12,166 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, while nonresidents pay $44,191.1 The resident price is above the $9,436 median of the 13 public bachelor's colleges in Wisconsin.1 Financial aid brings the 2024-25 average net price down to $3,424 for the lowest-income band, $0 to $30,000, and $6,026 for the $48,001 to $75,000 band, while families earning over $110,000 averaged $28,208.1
Of 2019 entrants, 90% graduated within 6 years, and 96% of the fall 2023 class returned.1 Former UW-Madison students had median earnings of $80,330 at 10 years after entry. Among those who took federal loans, the median debt at completion was $18,375, which is a useful figure to set beside that income.1
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 63,505 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20232 |
| Admitted | 27,529 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20232 |
| Enrolled first-years | 7,964 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20232 |
| Undergraduates | 36,797 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20232 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 660 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20232 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 730 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20232 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 700 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20232 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 780 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20232 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 28 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20232 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 32 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20232 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 14% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20232 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 30% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20232 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $12,166 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-261 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $44,191 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-261 |
| Cost of attendance | $29,943 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-251 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $16,600 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-251 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $3,424 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-251 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $3,837 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-251 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $6,026 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-251 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $15,839 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-251 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $28,208 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-251 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 90% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants1 |
| First-year retention | 96% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants1 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 19% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-251 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $80,330 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-231 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $18,375 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-251 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Wisconsin (N = 13) | $9,436 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-261 |
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with UW-Madison, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page