University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin · Public · 36,902 undergraduates · wisc.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
41%
of 73,912 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1400 to 1490
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$32,320Est.Estimate
$67,030 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at University of Wisconsin-Madison
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
41% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$67,030
a year in 2027-28, from a $67,030 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1450
Send your score
About 66% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1370, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Doesn't superscore: it uses the scores from one test date.
- Send official score reports when you apply.
Source: ACT and SAT Test Optional FAQs – Office of Admissions and Recruitment – UW–Madison · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Jan15Regular Decision · January 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
41%
of applicants were admitted: 30,167 of 73,912 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/1, hear by 1/31.
Wait list
6,476 students were offered a spot; 1,088 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 12% of them sent SAT scores and 29% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1400 to 1490
Reading and Writing 680 to 740
Math 700 to 780
ACT composite 29 to 33
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160076%
- 1200 to 139923%
- 1000 to 11991%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.91
- 4.054%
- 3.75 to 3.9934%
- 3.50 to 3.748.5%
- 3.25 to 3.492.9%
- 3.00 to 3.240.7%
- 2.50 to 2.990.3%
- Below 2.500%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$32,320
a year, in state
$67,030
a year, out of state (tuition $45,740)
- Tuition (in state)$11,030
- Fees$1,750
- Food and housing$15,430
- Books and supplies$720
- Transportation and other$3,390
University of Wisconsin-Madison published $31,408 in state for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$3,424
- $30,001 to $48,000$3,837
- $48,001 to $75,000$6,026
- $75,001 to $110,000$15,839
- Over $110,000$28,208
Financial aid
92%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$34,828
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
7.7%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $7,397 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 12/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
41 of 41
Earn credit with a score of 3
41 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,100Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X12 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X12 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | AFROAMER X27 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | HUM X11 |
| Art History | 4 | 4 | ART HIST X14 |
| Biology | 3 | 3 | BIO SCI X01 |
| Biology | 4 | 5 | ZOOLOGY 151 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 3 | MATH X03 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 5 | MATH 221 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 3 | MATH X03 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 9 | MATH 221 and 222 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 3 | 3 | MATH X03 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 5 | MATH 221 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 3 | CHEM X15 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 3 | CHEM 103 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 2 | ASIALANG X10 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | ASIALANG X10 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLI SCI X20 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | POLI SCI 120 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | COMP SCI 200 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X12 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | COMP SCI 102 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X12 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL X02 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL X04 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | LIT X10 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL X25 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | BIO SCI X12 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X12 |
| European History | 4 | 3 | HISTORY X13 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FRENCH 203 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | FRENCH 204 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | FRENCH 228 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | GERMAN X13 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | GERMAN 249 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG X12 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | GEOG X22 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | ITALIAN 204 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | ITALIAN 452 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 2 | ASIALANG X10 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | ASIALANG X10 |
| Latin | 3 | 8 | LATIN 103 and 104 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X12 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECON 102 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X12 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECON 101 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MUSIC 151 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 3 | PHYSICS X15 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 | PHYSICS 103 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 3 | PHYSICS X15 |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 4 | PHYSICS 104 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 3 | PHYSICS X15 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 5 | PHYSICS 208 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 3 | PHYSICS X15 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 5 | PHYSICS 207 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 3 | MATH X05 |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 5 | MATH 114 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYCH X19 |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSYCH 202 |
| Research | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X10 |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X12 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | SPANISH 204 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | SPANISH 204 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 3 | SPANISH 226 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 4 | SPANISH 204 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 3 | SPANISH 224 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | STAT X10 |
| Statistics | 4 | 3 | STAT 301 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLI SCI X20 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | POLI SCI 104 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X12 |
| United States History | 4 | 3 | HISTORY X13 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | GEN ELCT X12 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | HISTORY X13 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
90%
Come back for a second year
96%
Typical earnings
$80,330
a year, 10 years after starting here
- University of Wisconsin-Madison$86,956
- All colleges$89,628
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 72 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with University of Wisconsin-Madison. The University of Wisconsin-Madison logo is a trademark of the college.