IU vs. Wisconsin

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

IU Wisconsin
Location Bloomington, IN Madison, WI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 47,005 48,956
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #200 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iub.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IU Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $10,012 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $37,685 $37,904
Room & Board $12,228 $12,894
Avg Net Price $16,234 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $10,336 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 47%

Admission

IU Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,080 60,214
Admitted 41,272 29,539
Acceptance Rate 82.4% 49.1%
Enrolled % 23.6% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 26/32
SAT Range 1180/1400 1340/1510
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

IU Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

IU Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 72% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $232 $230

Diversity

IU Wisconsin
% Men 51% 47%
% Women 49% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 76%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 11% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

IU Wisconsin
% In-State 51% 43%
% Out-of-State 42% 47%

Campus

IU 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 IU based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 47,005 students)

IU vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU or Wisconsin?

  • Indiana University Bloomington is 8% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($10,012.00 vs. $9,273.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at Wisconsin than Indiana University Bloomington ($37,904.00 vs. $37,685.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than IU ($13,376 vs. $16,234)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Bloomington are 5.4% lower than costs at University of Wisconsin Madison ($12,228 vs. $12,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Bloomington than University of Wisconsin Madison (74% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Wisconsin Madison students is 8.1% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($11,171 vs. $10,336)

IU vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 101 points higher than at IU (1199)
  • Incoming Wisconsin students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at IU (27)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at IU (3.74)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (82.4%) than Wisconsin (49.1%)

IU vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU 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 IU.

  • The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than Indiana University Bloomington (82% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $8,600 more per year than IU graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $56,200)
  • University of Wisconsin Madison students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($22,250 vs. $22,500)
  • Wisconsin graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($230 vs. $232)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 72%)

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