University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Type:
- Public
- Programs:
- 4 years or more
Cost
- Cost / year
- $29,943
- Tuition & fees
- $12,166
- Avg. aid
- $15,223
- Receiving aid
- 60%
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 45%
- SAT range
- 1380–1520
- ACT range
- 29–33
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 90%
- Median salary
- $56,150
- 1 yr after graduation
What are the graduation rates for students at University of Wisconsin-Madison?
UW-Madison's reported six-year graduation rate is 90% for the measured cohort of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates. Its four-year rate is 75%, indicating that a substantial share of that cohort completes a degree without a fifth year of undergraduate study.
These are cohort measures, not predictions for an individual student or rates for all transfer, part-time, and graduate students. The reported first-year retention rate is 96%, meaning that most students in its measured first-time cohort returned the following fall. Prospective students comparing colleges should check whether a published rate uses the same population and time period, particularly if they expect to transfer or attend part-time.
What is the earning potential for graduates at University of Wisconsin-Madison?
College Scorecard field-of-study figures report median earnings measured one year after completion for graduates in the relevant federally aided reporting population. They offer an early-career comparison, not a guaranteed salary or a measure of every graduate's earnings.
Reported examples include $78,839 for computer engineering, $72,878 for general computer and information sciences, and $70,199 for mechanical engineering. The corresponding figures are $65,921 for registered nursing, $48,053 for economics, and $31,572 for psychology. Differences may reflect occupations, further study, location, hours worked, and who appears in each reporting cohort. A one-year measure can be especially incomplete for fields where graduates commonly enter professional or graduate school.
For career planning, UW-Madison students can use school- or college-based career services for appointments, résumé and interview preparation, career exploration, employer events, and job-search support. Those services are distinct from employment outcomes: access to an adviser, internship posting, or career fair does not establish that a student will receive a particular offer.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduation Rate
University of Wisconsin-Madison Retention and Employment
University of Wisconsin-Madison Median Alumni Salary Over Time
Alumni Salary for University of Wisconsin-Madison Degrees
Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
$61,605Agricultural Business and Management
$47,469Agricultural Engineering
$61,703Agricultural Public Services
$36,985Animal Sciences
$35,454Anthropology
$31,599Area Studies
$32,123Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
$34,941Biology, General
$30,913Biomedical/Medical Engineering
$63,620Botany/Plant Biology
$30,520Business Administration, Management and Operations
$53,294Chemical Engineering
$72,510Chemistry
$38,140Civil Engineering
$66,167Communication and Media Studies
$36,006Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
$21,520Computer and Information Sciences, General
$72,878Computer Engineering
$78,839Design and Applied Arts
$43,684Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
$23,512Economics
$48,053Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
$70,596Engineering Mechanics
$61,649English Language and Literature, General
$29,174Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
$29,857Finance and Financial Management Services
$61,474Fine and Studio Arts
$30,793Food Science and Technology
$50,564General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
$52,840Genetics
$33,912Geography and Cartography
$31,655Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
$39,352History
$28,843Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
$29,244Industrial Engineering
$74,061Insurance
$65,571International Business
$53,394International/Globalization Studies
$28,989Journalism
$42,011Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
$70,478Marketing
$53,817Materials Engineering
$64,892Mathematics
$51,817Mechanical Engineering
$70,199Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
$36,807Natural Resources Conservation and Research
$27,422Neurobiology and Neurosciences
$29,137Non-Professional Legal Studies
$37,462Nutrition Sciences
$28,232Philosophy
$35,717Physics
$45,916Political Science and Government
$35,789Psychology, General
$31,572Real Estate
$69,730Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$65,921Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
$32,788Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
$31,856Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
$33,908Social Work
$26,239Sociology
$37,772Special Education and Teaching
$41,945Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
$27,879Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
$40,648Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
$21,448Zoology/Animal Biology
$27,864University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduations Per Degree
BACHELOR’S Degree
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Engineering
Social Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Psychology
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Health Professions and Related Programs
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology
MASTER’S Degree
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Engineering
Health Professions and Related Programs
Social Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Education
Mathematics and Statistics
Public Administration and Social Service Professions
Psychology
DOCTOR’S Degree
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Engineering
Physical Sciences
Social Sciences
Health Professions and Related Programs
Education
Psychology
Mathematics and Statistics
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Data last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.
