University of Wisconsin–Madison: Best Degrees, Tuition & Rankings
Overview
The University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) is a public land‑grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin. Founded in 1848, it serves as the flagship campus of the UW System. As of 2024, UW–Madison has over 48,500 enrolled students, including around 34,200 undergraduates and 14,300 graduate students Wikipedia+12Wikipedia+12News+12. Classified among the Public Ivies and categorized as an R1 (very high research activity) institution, it ranked sixth in the U.S. for research expenditures in 2023 Wikipedia.
Tuition & Cost of Attendance
Undergraduate Tuition & Fees
- For the 2023–24 academic year, in‑state undergraduate tuition and fees were approximately $11,606, while out‑of‑state tuition and fees reached around $42,104 The Princeton Review+3University of Wisconsin–Madison+3U.S. News & World Report+3.
- Sources like U.S. News report similar figures: in‑state $11,603, out‑of‑state $42,103 Research.com+6U.S. News & World Report+6U.S. News & World Report+6.
Total Cost Including Housing, Meals & Supplies
- According to Princeton Review, the total yearly cost (including fees, room, board, books, supplies) is around $26,827 (in‑state) and about $57,326 (out‑of‑state) Facebook+10The Princeton Review+10Teen Vogue+10.
- Niche.com lists a net price after financial aid of around $14,216 per year, which includes average housing costs ($7,433), meals ($4,350) and books ($1,100) Niche.
Tuition Trends
- In April 2024, the UW Board of Regents approved a 3.75% tuition increase for in‑state undergraduates, raising tuition (not room/board) by about $262, to reach approximately $11,604; total cost of attendance went up about 3.8% for residents apnews.com+1apnews.com+1.
Special Financial Aid Programs
- UW–Madison was recently selected as a “Best Value College” for 2025, recognized for affordability, strong career outcomes, and generous financial aid, earning a Return on Investment (ROI) score of 91/99 The Princeton Review+3News+3News+3.
- Starting Fall 2024, the Wisconsin Tribal Education Promise covers full cost—tuition, fees, housing, meals, books—for confirmed Indigenous students from Wisconsin’s 11 tribes, including law or medical degrees apnews.com.
- UW also offers Bucky’s Tuition Promise and Pell Pathway, programs that cover remaining costs for low‑income students through grants, scholarships, and work‑study aid apnews.com.
Top Degrees & Academic Strengths
UW–Madison offers over 136 undergraduate majors, 148 master’s, and 120 doctoral programs Wikipedia. Its academic reputation is strong across multiple disciplines.
Engineering
- The College of Engineering enrolls about 4,500 undergraduates and 1,500 graduate students. It is consistently ranked among the nation’s top engineering schools: Undergraduate program rated 13th nationally, Graduate program 27th by U.S. News for 2023–24 WikipediaWikipedia.
- Departments include Mechanical, Electrical & Computer, Chemical, Materials Science, Biomedical, Civil & Environmental, Nuclear Engineering & Physics, and Industrial & Systems Engineering.
Business
- The Wisconsin School of Business is highly regarded: its undergraduate real estate program is ranked #1 in the nation; risk management #2; other majors such as marketing, finance, accounting, and management rank in the top 20WikipediaWikipedia.
- In 2023, Poets & Quants ranked the undergraduate business program 22nd nationally, and top‑10 among public universities Wikipedia+1Wikipedia+1.
Education
- UW’s School of Education is tied for No. 1 among public institutions in the U.S. (U.S. News 2024), with its Educational Psychology master’s also holding a #1 ranking Wikipedia.
Public Affairs & Policy
- The Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs offers master’s degrees and undergraduate certificates in policy, ranked around 25th among public affairs graduate schools Wikipedia+1Wikipedia+1.
Other High‑Ranked Areas
- According to U.S. News 2025 subject rankings:
- Education (overall): tied for 1st among public and private institutions
- Rehabilitation Counseling: #1
- Speech‑Language Pathology: #3
- Psychology: #8
- Sociology: #9
- Other top‑20 subjects: Biostatistics (#11), Statistics (#13), Economics (#15), Mathematics (#16), Biological Sciences (#17), English (#24), Physics (#21), Political Science (#15), Computer Science (#13), Chemistry (#14), Earth Sciences (#20), Social Work (#20), Public Affairs (#21) Wikipedia.
- The School of Journalism & Mass Communication frequently ranks among the top in communication and media studies, historically appearing in top‑10 subject rankings in QS and global assessments Wikipedia.
Popular Majors
Based on 2023 undergraduate degrees awarded:
- Computer & Information Sciences (~645 degrees)
- Other large programs: Economics, Psychology, Biological Sciences College Raptor.
Rankings & Value Perspective
- Overall U.S. News 2025: tied for 39th among national universities and 13th among public universities University Living.
- Recognized in 2025 as one of Princeton Review’s Best Value Colleges, earning high marks for ROI, financial aid, alumni network, and impact ranking—among public universities, UW was #17 for value and #7 for financial aid News.
- Other global rankings: QS World University ranked UW at #102 globally (2024), Times Higher Education at #63 (2024), Academic Ranking of World Universities at #35 among global institutions in 2022 Wikipedia.
Balancing Cost & Quality
UW–Madison offers a compelling mix:
- Affordable in‑state tuition, especially strong for residents with financial aid.
- Many top‑tier academic programs, especially in engineering, business, education, public affairs, and the social sciences.
- Significant financial support for low‑income and Indigenous students reducing net cost significantly.
- Strong graduate outcomes: high employment rates, competitive alumni salaries, and excellent ROI rankings.
At full sticker price, out‑of‑state costs exceed $57,000 per year, but net cost after aid averages ~$14,200/year for many students—particularly with UW’s generous need‑based scholarship programs Wikipedia+1Wikipedia+1Teen VogueResearch.com.
Summary at a Glance
| Category | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Tuition & Fees (2023–24) | In‑state: ~$11,600/year; Out‑of‑state: ~$42,100/year |
| Total Cost of Attendance | In‑state: ~$26,800; Out‑of‑state: ~$57,300 |
| Net Price After Aid | ~$14,200/year on average (Niche) |
| Tuition Increases | 3.75% fee hike approved for 2024–25 (to $11,604 in‑state) |
| Best Value Recognition | Princeton Review “Best Value” 2025; ROI 91/99 |
| Degrees & Programs | Engineering (#13 UG, #27 Grad); Business (#1 Real Estate, #22 UG); Education (#1 Pub Inst.); Public Affairs (#~25) |
| Popular Majors | Computer Science, Psychology, Biology, Economics |
| Subject Rankings | Rehab Counseling (#1), Speech-Language Pathology (#3), Psychology (#8), Sociology (#9), Econ, Stats, Math, Biology etc. all top‑20 |
| Overall Rankings | U.S. News #39 national (2025), #13 public; QS #102 (2024), THE #63 (2024) |
Final Thoughts
For in‑state students, UW–Madison represents excellent value: top academic programs—especially in engineering, business, education, public affairs, and social science—paired with strong financial aid and career outcomes. Its national and global rankings reflect both academic strength and economic accessibility. For out‑of‑state or international students, sticker costs are significant, but financial aid and merit scholarships can substantially mitigate that.