University of Wisconsin-Madison Main Campus (Madison, WI, United States)

University overview

Editorial View

Location, editorial summary, and verified institutional context.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Main Campus is a public institution in Madison, WI. IPEDS-reported enrollment is approximately 8,442 students. The published admit rate is 60%. Out-of-state tuition is listed at $42,758 before aid. The graduation rate in federal outcomes data is 89%. CollegesRef separates verified metrics from this editorial overview — confirm figures on the admissions, financial, and outcomes tabs before making decisions.

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Admissions

Verified Data

Selectivity, enrollment funnel, and reported test score ranges from verified federal data.

Institution type

Public

Carnegie

A Doctoral University (which undergraduates attend) with very high research activity

Setting

Large city

Admit rate (60%)

Yield estimate (26%)

Applicants

53,781

Admits

32,459

Enrolled

8,442

SAT ERW: 640–720

SAT Math: 680–780

ACT: 26–32

Academics

Verified Data

Enrollment scale, calendar structure, and outcome-linked academic signals.

Total students

8,442

8,442 students

Calendar

semester

Academic calendar

Graduation rate

89%

Reported outcomes

Retention rate

95%

First-year retention

Carnegie classification

A Doctoral University (which undergraduates attend) with very high research activity

Cost and affordability

Verified Data

Tuition, net price, and aid signals sourced from federal reporting where available.

Average net price

$13,484

After grants and scholarships for in-state students where reported.

In-state tuition$45

Out-of-state tuition$42,758

Institutional grant aid$33

Pell share17%

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Campus life

Verified Data

Culture percentile bands describe student life intensity across common fit dimensions.

Campus culture bands are not yet available for University of Wisconsin-Madison Main Campus. Theme attributes and athletics may still appear under Special Features.

Rankings and recognition

Verified Data

CollegesRef does not invent magazine-style ranks. This section surfaces verified classification data and editorial context only.

Carnegie classification

A Doctoral University (which undergraduates attend) with very high research activity

Institutional classification used for academic peer grouping.

Athletics

NCAA Division I

NCAA division where available from verified imports.

Editorial spotlight

College profile: University of Wisconsin-Madison Main Campus

Outcomes and after college

Verified Data

Verified outcomes from imported federal datasets. Editorial interpretation may supplement these facts elsewhere on the profile.

Median earnings

N/A

Median earnings where reported by federal outcomes data.

Retention rate

95%

First-year student retention.

Graduation rate

89%

Students graduating within 150% of normal time.

Student reviews

Editorial View

User-submitted reviews are not fabricated for launch. This report card summarizes verified data signals until moderated student voices are available.

Data report card

Admissions selectivityD

Graduation outcomesA

RetentionA

Editorial depthB+

University of Wisconsin-Madison Main Campus

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Special features

Verified Data

Curated theme attributes and athletics context that distinguish campus character.

A State's Flagship Public University or SimilarVibrant Social SceneHas a POSSE Chapter

Athletics

NCAA Division I

Sources and data freshness

Verified Data

Legacy CLGS importLast verified 2026-06-27T19:13:51+00:00

CollegesRef separates verified federal and institutional data from editorial interpretation. Personalized AI matching is available via Colleges Like This.

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