Madison, WI
The University of Wisconsin-Madison was founded in 1848. It is a public land-grant university and the flagship of the Universities of Wisconsin system, which comprises 13 institutions statewide. The university operates under what it calls the Wisconsin Idea, a commitment to public service that the institution describes as its guiding principle at the regional, local, and global levels.
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from University of Wisconsin-Madison's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 12% submitted SAT scores, 29% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Early Action: Nov 1, 2026
- Regular Decision: Jan 15, 2027
Confirm on University of Wisconsin-Madison's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
Out-of-state students pay $33,516 more per year in tuition and fees (3.7x the in-state rate).
Tuition & fees are University of Wisconsin-Madison's own published 2026-27 rates (source); other figures are from the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Where do you stand against University of Wisconsin-Madison's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow University of Wisconsin-Madison weighs your application
From University of Wisconsin-Madison's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What applicants who posted their results listed
68 self-reported applicant profiles from public posts, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles: 49 admitted, 19 rejected or waitlisted. Figures read admitted vs. rejected or waitlisted.
Most common activities
Most common awards among admits
Who posted
How this compares at Purdue, Wisconsin and Maryland: Purdue, Wisconsin and Maryland Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not University of Wisconsin-Madison's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what University of Wisconsin-Madison weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does University of Wisconsin-Madison look for in applicants?
Per University of Wisconsin-Madison's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is University of Wisconsin-Madison's acceptance rate?
University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, WI admits approximately 45% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for University of Wisconsin-Madison?
Per University of Wisconsin-Madison's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1400–1490 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for University of Wisconsin-Madison?
Per University of Wisconsin-Madison's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 29–33 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does University of Wisconsin-Madison cost?
University of Wisconsin-Madison's total cost of attendance is reported at $28,679 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
What is out-of-state tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison?
For 2026-27, University of Wisconsin-Madison's tuition and required fees are $45,932 for out-of-state students and $12,416 for in-state students -- $33,516 more per year for out-of-state students. That's before financial aid, and room and board are extra.
When is the application deadline for University of Wisconsin-Madison?
University of Wisconsin-Madison's deadlines are Early Action Nov 1, 2026; Regular Decision Jan 15, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does University of Wisconsin-Madison require students to live on campus?
No -- University of Wisconsin-Madison doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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