Minnesota vs. Wisconsin

Should I go to University of Minnesota Twin Cities or University of Wisconsin Madison? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Minnesota 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 Minnesota Twin Cities vs. University of Wisconsin Madison comparison
University of Minnesota Twin Cities University of Wisconsin Madison College 3 College 4
University of Minnesota Twin Cities University of Wisconsin Madison
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Overview

Minnesota Wisconsin
Location Minneapolis, MN Madison, WI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 52,376 47,016
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #133 #98
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umn.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Minnesota Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $13,532 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $32,096 $37,161
Room & Board $10,934 $12,548
Avg Net Price $17,729 $14,030
Avg Grant Aid $10,519 $10,071
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 50%

Admission

Minnesota Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 35,905 53,781
Admitted 26,295 32,459
Acceptance Rate 73.2% 60.4%
Enrolled % 26.2% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 26/32
SAT Range 1310/1490 1320/1500
Submit Test Scores Considered but not required Considered but not required
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Minnesota Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Minnesota Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 70% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,200 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,185 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $208 $230

Diversity

Minnesota Wisconsin
% Men 45% 47%
% Women 55% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 76%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 9% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Minnesota Wisconsin
% In-State 68% 45%
% Out-of-State 27% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is larger than than Wisconsin based on total student enrollment (52,376 students vs. 47,016 students)

Minnesota vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Minnesota or Wisconsin?

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is 45.9% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($13,532.00 vs. $9,273.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.8% higher at Wisconsin than University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($37,161.00 vs. $32,096.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than Minnesota ($14,030 vs. $17,729)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Twin Cities are 14.8% lower than costs at University of Wisconsin Madison ($10,934 vs. $12,548)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Twin Cities than University of Wisconsin Madison (77% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Minnesota Twin Cities students is 4.4% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($10,519 vs. $10,071)

Minnesota vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 12 points higher than at Minnesota (1288)
  • Incoming Minnesota students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Wisconsin (29)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Minnesota (3.75)
  • Minnesota has a higher acceptance rate (73.2%) than Wisconsin (60.4%)

Minnesota vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Minnesota 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 Minnesota.

  • The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (82% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $6,600 more per year than Minnesota graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $58,200)
  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities students graduate with a $2,065 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($20,185 vs. $22,250)
  • Minnesota graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($208 vs. $230)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Minnesota 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/