UW-La Crosse vs. Wisconsin

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

UW-La Crosse Wisconsin
Location La Crosse, WI Madison, WI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 10,274 48,956
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #548 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uwlax.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UW-La Crosse Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $7,585 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $16,404 $37,904
Room & Board $6,942 $12,894
Avg Net Price $13,130 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $3,395 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 47%

Admission

UW-La Crosse Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,290 60,214
Admitted 5,413 29,539
Acceptance Rate 74.3% 49.1%
Enrolled % 43% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.88
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/26 26/32
SAT Range 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

UW-La Crosse Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

UW-La Crosse Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 68% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,500 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $240 $230

Diversity

UW-La Crosse Wisconsin
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 90% 76%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

UW-La Crosse Wisconsin
% In-State 81% 43%
% Out-of-State 19% 47%

Campus

UW-La Crosse 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 UW-La Crosse based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 10,274 students)

UW-La Crosse vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UW-La Crosse or Wisconsin?

  • University of Wisconsin Madison is 22.3% more expensive to attend than UW-La Crosse for in-state tuition ($9,273.00 vs. $7,585.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 131.1% higher at Wisconsin than University of Wisconsin La Crosse ($37,904.00 vs. $16,404.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin La Crosse than Wisconsin ($13,130 vs. $13,376)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin La Crosse are 85.7% lower than costs at University of Wisconsin Madison ($6,942 vs. $12,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Wisconsin La Crosse than University of Wisconsin Madison (64% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Wisconsin Madison students is 229% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin La Crosse ($11,171 vs. $3,395)

UW-La Crosse vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 170 points higher than at UW-La Crosse (1130)
  • Incoming Wisconsin students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UW-La Crosse (25)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at UW-La Crosse (3.6)
  • UW-La Crosse has a higher acceptance rate (74.3%) than Wisconsin (49.1%)

UW-La Crosse vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UW-La Crosse 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 UW-La Crosse.

  • The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than University of Wisconsin La Crosse (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $15,300 more per year than UW-La Crosse graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $49,500)
  • University of Wisconsin Madison students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UW-La Crosse graduates. ($22,250 vs. $23,250)
  • Wisconsin graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than UW-La Crosse graduates. ($230 vs. $240)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UW-La Crosse students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 80%)

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