University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
University of Wisconsin-Madison at a Glance
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved statehood and is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. The 933-acre (378 ha) main campus is located on the shores of Lake Mendota; the university also owns and operates a 1,200-acre (486 ha) arboretum 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the main campus.
1848
178 years old
$4.9B
$4.92 billion (2025)
48,557
2,025 undergrad · 14,345 grad
2,220
3650.0%
73,912 of 2,025 admitted
939 acres
Identity
How to Apply to University of Wisconsin-Madison
Official admissions pageNovember 1 (Early Action)
$80
Fee waiver available
Testing policy
Fee waiver
Is University of Wisconsin-Madison Worth It?
University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of the strongest value propositions in higher education. At $17,354/year net price and $73,792 median earnings, graduates earn 4.3× their annual cost within a decade of enrolling.
The investment pays for itself in just 0.9 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
With a 89% graduation rate, the vast majority of students finish their degree and reach these earning outcomes.
Bottom line: University of Wisconsin-Madison delivers strong financial returns that justify the investment for most students.
How University of Wisconsin-Madison compares to peer public colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #8 of 17 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California State University-Long Beach | 100 | $10,440 | $64,403 |
| #2 | University of California-Davis | 100 | $14,741 | $80,838 |
| #3 | University of Georgia | 100 | $13,936 | $68,726 |
| #4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 100 | $14,355 | $81,054 |
| #5 | University of Maryland-College Park | 100 | $15,678 | $82,860 |
| #6 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 100 | $14,091 | $78,466 |
| #8 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 95 | $17,354 | $73,792 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of University of Wisconsin-Madison's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%).
Best Programs at University of Wisconsin-Madison
The highest-earning program at University of Wisconsin-Madison is Computer Engineering at $76,900/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management at $19,400/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Computer Engineering graduate from University of Wisconsin-Madison earns $76,900, while a Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management graduate earns $19,400. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Computer Engineering graduates carry $19,827 in median debt vs. $20,646 for Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $17,354/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $76,900 | $76,900 | $19,827 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $74,000 | $74,000 | $20,375 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $71,500 | $71,500 | $21,136 |
| Industrial Engineering | $69,700 | $69,700 | $21,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $69,100 | $69,100 | $22,500 |
| Chemical Engineering | $68,900 | $68,900 | $19,500 |
| Real Estate | $68,100 | $68,100 | $18,250 |
| Insurance | $66,600 | $66,600 | $20,000 |
| Materials Engineering | $66,300 | $66,300 | $24,250 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $65,100 | $65,100 | $23,125 |
| Civil Engineering | $64,400 | $64,400 | $25,107 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $63,300 | $63,300 | $21,500 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $61,000 | $61,000 | $19,000 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $60,900 | $60,900 | $22,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $60,700 | $60,700 | $21,066 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $57,800 | $57,800 | $19,456 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $57,100 | $57,100 | $20,500 |
| Geological/Geophysical Engineering | $57,100 | $57,100 | $26,305 |
| Marketing | $56,300 | $56,300 | $21,311 |
| Food Science and Technology | $52,600 | $52,600 | $24,367 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $52,100 | $52,100 | $26,305 |
| Mathematics | $52,000 | $52,000 | $17,625 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $48,200 | $48,200 | $21,500 |
| Economics | $46,500 | $46,500 | $20,925 |
| Chemistry | $45,700 | $45,700 | $22,440 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $45,600 | $45,600 | $23,250 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $43,800 | $43,800 | $20,000 |
| Special Education and Teaching | $40,900 | $40,900 | $24,371 |
| Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) | $38,100 | $38,100 | $23,250 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $37,900 | $37,900 | $19,796 |
| Journalism | $37,600 | $37,600 | $20,010 |
| Agricultural Public Services | $37,300 | $37,300 | $19,455 |
| Genetics | $37,100 | $37,100 | $20,500 |
| Animal Sciences | $36,500 | $36,500 | $21,000 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $36,500 | $36,500 | $20,500 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $36,300 | $36,300 | $22,000 |
| Sociology | $35,200 | $35,200 | $22,101 |
| Political Science and Government | $35,100 | $35,100 | $20,500 |
| Physics | $34,900 | $34,900 | $21,450 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $32,800 | $32,800 | $20,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $32,800 | $32,800 | N/A |
| Plant Sciences | $32,600 | $32,600 | $22,004 |
| History | $32,600 | $32,600 | $21,500 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $32,500 | $32,500 | $23,231 |
| Social Work | $32,300 | $32,300 | $22,000 |
| Psychology, General | $31,800 | $31,800 | $21,761 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $31,600 | $31,600 | $19,641 |
| International/Global Studies | $31,500 | $31,500 | $21,500 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $31,400 | $31,400 | $22,000 |
| Biology, General | $31,100 | $31,100 | $23,000 |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $31,000 | $31,000 | $27,125 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $30,000 | $30,000 | $20,500 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $29,000 | $29,000 | $22,078 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $28,800 | $28,800 | $23,500 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $28,100 | $28,100 | $20,500 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $28,000 | $28,000 | $19,123 |
| Rural Sociology | $27,600 | $27,600 | $20,161 |
| Anthropology | $27,300 | $27,300 | $23,352 |
| Geography and Cartography | $26,800 | $26,800 | $25,000 |
| Area Studies | $26,100 | $26,100 | $21,500 |
| Philosophy | $26,000 | $26,000 | $20,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $25,800 | $25,800 | $20,500 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $25,800 | $25,800 | $22,500 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $24,600 | $24,600 | $24,132 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $22,200 | $22,200 | $23,872 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $19,400 | $19,400 | $20,646 |
Similar Colleges in WI
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- Madison, WI
- Student Body
- 36,902 students
- Admission Rate
- 45%
- Graduation Rate
- 89%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $17,354
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $73,792
- Median Student Debt
- $20,484