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Real costs by school · Madison, WI · Public

What University of Wisconsin-Madison actually costs at your income.

At University of Wisconsin-Madison, families earning $75,000–$110,000 paid an average of $17,763 per year — the published cost of attendance is $28,679. (Federal College Scorecard data, July 2026 refresh.)

Every income band — the federal numbers (Public-school prices below reflect what in-state families reported paying; out-of-state families typically pay more.)

Household incomeAvg net price / yr≈ four years*
Under $30k$4,200 / yr$17,703
$30–48k$4,101 / yr$17,286
$48–75k$8,134 / yr$34,285
$75–110k$17,763 / yr$74,871
Over $110k$27,292 / yr$115,036

*Four-year figures grow each year's price by 3.5% — the same method College Compass uses in a family's plan. "Net price" is what families actually paid after grants and scholarships, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education — not a calculator's estimate. Federal reporting groups every income above $110k into one band; families well above it often pay closer to the full cost.

After graduation — federal data

Graduates earning, 10 yrs out (median)$73,792
Graduate in four years — the rate you're budgeting on75%
Six-year graduation rate89%
Typical graduate's own federal debt$20,484

Earnings and completion from federal reporting — not the school's own placement survey.

These are averages. Your family isn't average.
College Compass runs University of Wisconsin-Madison against your student's real GPA, your real income band, and your actual high school — admit odds with the math shown, merit likelihood, and the season's deadlines. First three schools free.

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Nearby comparisons

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