UC Berkeley vs. Wisconsin

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

UC Berkeley Wisconsin
Location Berkeley, CA Madison, WI
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 45,307 48,956
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Berkeley Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $37,904
Room & Board $21,402 $12,894
Avg Net Price $19,257 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 47%

Admission

UC Berkeley Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 60,214
Admitted 14,523 29,539
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 49.1%
Enrolled % 46.3% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/35 26/32
SAT Range 1310/1530 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, 2024 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

UC Berkeley Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

UC Berkeley Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 90% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $146 $230

Diversity

UC Berkeley Wisconsin
% Men 46% 47%
% Women 54% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 27% 76%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 14% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 14% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

UC Berkeley Wisconsin
% In-State 78% 43%
% Out-of-State 11% 47%

Campus

UC Berkeley 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 UC Berkeley based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 45,307 students)

UC Berkeley vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or Wisconsin?

  • University of California Berkeley 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 UC Berkeley 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 UC Berkeley ($13,376 vs. $19,257)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Madison are 66% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($12,894 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Berkeley than University of Wisconsin Madison (52% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 94% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($21,669 vs. $11,171)

UC Berkeley vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 97 points higher than at Wisconsin (1300)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Wisconsin (29)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at UC Berkeley (3.87)
  • Wisconsin has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley 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 UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than University of Wisconsin Madison (90% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $9,900 more per year than Wisconsin graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $64,800)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $8,050 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($14,200 vs. $22,250)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $84 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($146 vs. $230)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Berkeley students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 79%)

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