UCSC vs. Wisconsin

Should I go to University of California Santa Cruz or University of Wisconsin Madison? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSC or Wisconsin is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of California Santa Cruz vs. University of Wisconsin Madison comparison
University of California Santa Cruz University of Wisconsin Madison College 3 College 4
University of California Santa Cruz University of Wisconsin Madison
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Overview

UCSC Wisconsin
Location Santa Cruz, CA Madison, WI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 19,478 48,956
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSC Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $37,904
Room & Board $18,185 $12,894
Avg Net Price $17,975 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 47%

Admission

UCSC Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 60,214
Admitted 30,926 29,539
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 49.1%
Enrolled % 12.5% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.88
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/33 26/32
SAT Range 1160/1360 1340/1510
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

UCSC Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

UCSC Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 73% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $206 $230

Diversity

UCSC Wisconsin
% Men 50% 47%
% Women 50% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 33% 76%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 31% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 4% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

UCSC Wisconsin
% In-State 90% 43%
% Out-of-State 7% 47%

Campus

UCSC Wisconsin
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wisconsin Madison is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 19,478 students)

UCSC vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Wisconsin?

  • University of California Santa Cruz is 24.7% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $9,273.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.8% higher at UCSC than University of Wisconsin Madison ($41,636.00 vs. $37,904.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than UCSC ($13,376 vs. $17,975)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Madison are 41% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($12,894 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than University of Wisconsin Madison (68% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 89.8% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($21,202 vs. $11,171)

UCSC vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or Wisconsin? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wisconsin or UCSC .

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 99 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
  • Incoming Wisconsin students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UCSC (28)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • Wisconsin has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than UCSC (46.9%)

UCSC vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC or Wisconsin? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Wisconsin and UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (82% vs. 73%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $14,400 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $2,291 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($19,959 vs. $22,250)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($206 vs. $230)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 74%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/