Madison, Wisconsin Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Madison, Wisconsin shows: median public in-state tuition $12,526 (+127.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $66,760 (+22.9% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 94.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $14,060 (+4.7% vs U.S.) 50,859 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 8 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 50,859 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $12,526 (+127.3% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $66,760 (+22.9% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 94.2% (+6.2 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $20,938 (+110.1% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $14,060 (+4.7% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,004
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 44.6%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 84.7%
Download the data
Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Madison, Wisconsin—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Wisconsin and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Madison vs Wisconsin & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, Wisconsin | $12,526 | $20,938 | $14,060 | 44.6% | 50,859 |
| Wisconsin (state median) | $5,112 | $12,252 | $20,492 | 55.6% | 228,156 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Madison, Wisconsin vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, Wisconsin | $66,760 | 94.2% | 84.7% | 2.2% | — | 84.5% | 0.34 |
| Wisconsin (state median) | $55,173 | 94.1% | 76.2% | 3.3% | — | 81.1% | 0.43 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Wisconsin (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, Wisconsin | $12,526 | $20,938 | $14,060 | 44.6% | 50,859 | $66,760 | 94.2% |
| Milwaukee | $35,765 | $22,453 | $23,470 | 63.6% | 43,045 | $54,827 | 92.7% |
| La Crosse | $10,070 | $16,210 | $22,500 | 69.7% | 13,709 | $58,019 | 96.1% |
| Eau Claire | $7,243 | $16,550 | $16,170 | 63.8% | 13,227 | $58,561 | 95.7% |
| Green Bay | $8,700 | $13,369 | $18,000 | 56.7% | 12,536 | $64,375 | 95.6% |
| Kenosha | $10,860 | $23,066 | $20,492 | 64.3% | 11,087 | $51,129 | 91.2% |
| Appleton | $31,011 | $19,436 | $10,196 | 76.8% | 7,339 | $55,789 | 86.1% |
| Wausau | $4,889 | $13,574 | $7,500 | N/A | 3,314 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Madison, Wisconsin by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
-
Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 89.5%, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 60.2%, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
Top 10 colleges in Madison, Wisconsin by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
-
Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 94.3%, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
-
Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 94.0%, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Top 10 most selective colleges in Madison, Wisconsin (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
-
Rank 1, Admission Rate, 45.2%, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Rank 2, Admission Rate, 75.7%, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
Top 10 colleges in Madison, Wisconsin by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
-
Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $85,945, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $73,249, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
Top 10 colleges in Madison, Wisconsin by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
-
Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $120,483, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $96,101, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
Top 10 colleges in Madison, Wisconsin by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
-
Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $61,275, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $53,843, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
Top 10 colleges in Madison, Wisconsin by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
-
Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $69,868, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $55,941, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
Top 10 colleges in Madison, Wisconsin by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $73,792, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $59,728, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
Top 10 colleges in Madison, Wisconsin by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $257,696, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $154,068, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Madison, Wisconsin (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
-
Rank 1, Net Price, $17,354, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Rank 2, Net Price, $26,113, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
Top 10 colleges in Madison, Wisconsin by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
-
Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 96.2%, University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 73.2%, Edgewood College
Edgewood College
In-state tuition: Madison, Wisconsin vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Madison, Wisconsin median in-state tuition is $12,526, +127.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Madison, Wisconsin vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Madison, Wisconsin is $14,060 (+4.7% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,004.
Median earnings (10 years out): Madison, Wisconsin vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Madison, Wisconsin center around $66,760 (+22.9% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Madison, Wisconsin vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 94.2% at the median Madison, Wisconsin campus (+6.2 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Madison, Wisconsin median public in-state tuition is $12,526, about +127.3% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is +122.7%.
Median graduate debt is $14,060 (+4.7% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Madison, Wisconsin are $66,760, about +22.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 94.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (+6.2 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 84.7% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 2.2% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 84.5% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Edgewood College (94.3%), University of Wisconsin-Madison (94.0%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Madison, Wisconsin is 44.6% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Madison?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 8 campuses in Madison, Wisconsin with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Madison?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Madison is $12,526 and median net price is $20,938. For Wisconsin overall, medians are $5,112 and $12,252; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Madison?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Madison is $66,760 vs $55,173 for Wisconsin and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Madison colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Madison is $14,060 vs $20,492 for Wisconsin and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Madison?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include University of Wisconsin-Madison (graduation) and University of Wisconsin-Madison (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Madison?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 8 campuses in Madison, Wisconsin, 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (1).
Sources & related
- Wisconsin college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON