University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. Wisconsin

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

University of Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin
Location Duluth, MN Madison, WI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 9,350 49,605
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #544 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umn.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $12,766 $9,644
Tuition (Out of State) $18,210 $39,042
Room & Board $10,206 $13,500
Avg Net Price $19,542 $14,216
Avg Grant Aid $6,833 $11,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 49%

Admission

University of Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,502 63,505
Admitted 7,768 27,529
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 43.3%
Enrolled % 23.4% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.88
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 28/32
SAT Range 1128/1335 1360/1510
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 Aug 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

University of Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

University of Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 55% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $230

Diversity

University of Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin
% Men 4% 12%
% Women 5% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 76%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

University of Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin
% In-State 85% 48%
% Out-of-State 14% 44%

Campus

University of Minnesota-Duluth 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 Wisconsin Madison is larger than than University of Minnesota-Duluth based on total student enrollment (49,605 students vs. 9,350 students)

University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Minnesota-Duluth or Wisconsin?

  • University of Minnesota Duluth is 32.4% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($12,766.00 vs. $9,644.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 114.4% higher at Wisconsin than University of Minnesota Duluth ($39,042.00 vs. $18,210.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than University of Minnesota-Duluth ($14,216 vs. $19,542)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Duluth are 32.3% lower than costs at University of Wisconsin Madison ($10,206 vs. $13,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Duluth than University of Wisconsin Madison (90% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Wisconsin Madison students is 66.1% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Duluth ($11,350 vs. $6,833)

University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 191 points higher than at University of Minnesota-Duluth (1109)
  • Incoming Wisconsin students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at University of Minnesota-Duluth (24)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at University of Minnesota-Duluth (3.51)
  • University of Minnesota-Duluth has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than Wisconsin (43.3%)

University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Minnesota-Duluth 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 University of Minnesota-Duluth.

  • The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than University of Minnesota Duluth (82% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $11,300 more per year than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $53,500)
  • University of Wisconsin Madison students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($22,250 vs. $25,000)
  • Wisconsin graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($230 vs. $258)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Minnesota-Duluth students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 76%)

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