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Source: National Center for Educational Statistics. This is the most recent data available as of January 2022
Questions & Answers
What do all these numbers mean?
All costs shown here are the average net cost paid by families in each income bracket for one year at the college in question. Net cost is the total cost of attendance for one year, minus government grants and institutional scholarships. Figures are based on data from the 2019-20 school year, which is the latest available as of January 2022.
What is “Total Cost” on the chart?
Total cost is the total cost of attendance for one year at that particular college. It includes:
- Tuition and fees (in-state tuition for public schools)
- Room and board (on campus)
- Books and supplies
- Other expenses (travel and personal)
There are detailed chart below for each school that shows these expenses. Click here to go to the individual cost breakdown for schools.
How can I use this information?
This information is useful for building a realistic college budget. It's a good place to start until you better understand your specific circumstances. For example, let's say your income is $100,000 per year. This chart shows that the average state school would run $17,665 and the average private school would be $24,323. You can also get information on specific Wisconsin schools in the chart above or the tables below.
Will my family pay the amount on this chart?
Probably not. The numbers are averages. You may be below average or above average. However, there are two key points we can learn from this data:
- Families with higher incomes ($75,000-$110,000 and $110,000+) will most likely pay close to full price at the public schools.
- Private colleges have a higher list price but offer more discounts. This brings their net price much closer to the cost of state-funded schools.
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Where did this information come from?
As part of federal financial aid, colleges are required to provide detailed cost information to the U.S. government. This data is made available to the public through the National Center for Education Statistics. For more details, click here.
What about athletes, merit aid or minority students?
Athletes, high achieving students, and those with minority status are averaged in with everyone else. Within each income bracket, there are families that pay more than average and families that pay less than average.
The costs on this chart seem large. How can families afford to pay it?
For many families paying for college is not easy, but in the end they figure out. Most families will pay their net cost of college with some combination of:
- College savings and investments
- Payments from current income
- Loans
- Outside scholarships (check out the Scholarship Guide For Busy Parents to learn how your student can win scholarships)
- Tax planning
- Student work
Net Price:
Net prices is the total cost of attendance for one year, minus the average amount in government grants and institutional scholarships the school awards. This is an average, so you may pay above the average or below the average. Your exact net price is likely to be different and sometimes drastically different.
Most families will pay the net price with some combination of savings and investments, current income and various loans. Some students will also receive scholarships from sources other than the federal or state government or the college. Any scholarships and grants from these outside sources are not included in the data. However, government grants and institutional scholarships are included in the averages.
| Total Cost at University of Wisconsin-Madison (2019-20) | |
|---|---|
| Tuition and Fees | $10,725 |
| Room and Board | $11,558 |
| Books | $1,150 |
| Other Expenses | $3,120 |
| Total | $26,553 |
Total Cost:
Total cost is the total cost of attendance for that particular institution for the 2019-20 school year. This is the latest data available as of January 2022. Total costs include:
- Tuition and fees (in-state tuition for public schools)
- Room and board (on campus)
- Books and supplies
- Other expenses (travel and personal)
| College Total Cost | ||
|---|---|---|
| Family Income | WI Public $20,325 | WI Private $49,904 |
| $0 - $30k | $8,486 | $18,521 |
| $30,001 – $48k | $9,775 | $19,573 |
| $48,001 – $75k | $13,793 | $20,901 |
| $75,001 – $110k | $17,665 | $24,323 |
| $110,001+ | $18,550 | $28,264 |
Public vs. Private Averages
This table shows the average total cost of attendance for the Wisconsin public and private colleges we have included in our analysis. The costs include a breakdown of the average net price paid by family income. Notice that the average private college is $7,000-$11,000 more than the average public school, depending on your income bracket. It is important to stress that these are averages. Most families will not be average, and their individual circumstances could be drastically different. I encourage all families to work with their preferred colleges to get information specific to their family.
Below are similar charts for each individual private and public college in Wisconsin. Click a school to view its complete chart.
Public WI Schools Cost Breakdown
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University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $7,695 $7,735 Room and Board $7,670 $7,650 Books $580 $580 Other Expenses $3,170 $3,150 Total $19,115 $19,115 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $8,143 $8,143 $30,001 - $48k $10,390 $10,390 $48,001 - $75k $14,226 $14,226 $75,001 - $110k $17,253 $17,253 $110,001+ $17,815 $17,815 -
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Eau Claire Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $8,840 $8,870 Room and Board $8,216 $8,475 Books $400 $400 Other Expenses $3,366 $3,366 Total $20,822 $21,111 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $9,547 $9,680 $30,001 - $48k $10,658 $10,806 $48,001 - $75k $14,737 $14,942 $75,001 - $110k $18,816 $19,077 $110,001+ $19,798 $20,073 -
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Green Bay Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $7,873 $7,873 Room and Board $7,170 $7,280 Books $800 $800 Other Expenses $3,616 $3,770 Total $19,459 $19,723 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $8,258 $8,370 $30,001 - $48k $9,445 $9,573 $48,001 - $75k $13,258 $13,438 $75,001 - $110k $16,382 $16,604 $110,001+ $16,985 $17,215 -
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
La Crosse Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $9,127 $9,160 Room and Board $6,465 $6,594 Books $120 $120 Other Expenses $1,972 $2,028 Total $17,684 $17,902 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $7,517 $7,610 $30,001 - $48k $10,075 $10,199 $48,001 - $75k $13,198 $13,361 $75,001 - $110k $16,472 $16,675 $110,001+ $17,059 $17,269 -
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Oshkosh Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $7,656 $7,717 Room and Board $8,260 $8,506 Books $1,000 $1,000 Other Expenses $2,700 $2,700 Total $19,616 $19,923 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $9,499 $9,648 $30,001 - $48k $10,457 $10,621 $48,001 - $75k $14,157 $14,379 $75,001 - $110k $17,169 $17,438 $110,001+ $18,003 $18,285 -
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Kenosha Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $7,421 $7,444 Room and Board $7,696 $7,726 Books $630 $600 Other Expenses $3,978 $4,114 Total $19,725 $19,884 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $6,741 $6,795 $30,001 - $48k $8,022 $8,087 $48,001 - $75k $12,061 $12,158 $75,001 - $110k $15,198 $15,321 $110,001+ $15,945 $16,074
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University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $9,463 $9,488 Room and Board $6,944 $7,398 Books $418 $426 Other Expenses $3,206 $3,310 Total $20,031 $20,622 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $10,074 $10,371 $30,001 - $48k $10,958 $11,281 $48,001 - $75k $15,247 $15,697 $75,001 - $110k $18,293 $18,833 $110,001+ $18,753 $19,306 -
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Superior Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $8,132 $8,140 Room and Board $6,870 $7,025 Books $970 $970 Other Expenses $3,838 $3,753 Total $19,810 $19,888 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $9,360 $9,397 $30,001 - $48k $10,068 $10,108 $48,001 - $75k $12,668 $12,718 $75,001 - $110k $16,631 $16,696 $110,001+ $18,085 $18,156 -
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $10,725 $10,742 Room and Board $11,558 $12,200 Books $1,150 $1,150 Other Expenses $3,120 $3,066 Total $26,553 $27,158 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $3,981 $4,072 $30,001 - $48k $4,788 $4,897 $48,001 - $75k $10,364 $10,600 $75,001 - $110k $22,377 $22,887 $110,001+ $25,436 $26,016 -
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $9,526 $9,254 Room and Board $10,792 $10,692 Books $800 $800 Other Expenses $3,396 $3,484 Total $24,514 $24,230 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $11,973 $11,834 $30,001 - $48k $13,351 $13,196 $48,001 - $75k $17,606 $17,402 $75,001 - $110k $20,785 $20,544 $110,001+ $21,499 $21,250 -
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Platteville Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $7,353 $7,873 Room and Board $7,700 $7,770 Books $630 $200 Other Expenses $3,594 $3,594 Total $19,277 $19,437 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $8,887 $8,961 $30,001 - $48k $10,334 $10,420 $48,001 - $75k $13,699 $13,813 $75,001 - $110k $17,029 $17,170 $110,001+ $17,555 $17,701 -
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
River Falls Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $8,037 $8,063 Room and Board $6,576 $6,900 Books $400 $400 Other Expenses $3,320 $3,300 Total $18,333 $18,663 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $8,438 $8,590 $30,001 - $48k $9,478 $9,649 $48,001 - $75k $14,528 $14,790 $75,001 - $110k $16,739 $17,040 $110,001+ $16,996 $17,302 -
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Stevens Point Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $8,270 $8,300 Room and Board $7,428 $7,630 Books $300 $300 Other Expenses $3,284 $3,306 Total $19,282 $19,536 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $7,903 $8,007 $30,001 - $48k $9,052 $9,171 $48,001 - $75k $13,560 $13,739 $75,001 - $110k $16,503 $16,720 $110,001+ $17,225 $17,452
Private WI Schools Cost Breakdown
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Alverno College
Milwaukee Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $29,456 $30,658 Room and Board $8,950 $8,770 Books $768 $768 Other Expenses $5,020 $5,020 Total $44,194 $45,216 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $17,790 $18,201 $30,001 - $48k $16,842 $17,231 $48,001 - $75k $18,834 $19,270 $75,001 - $110k $22,721 $23,246 $110,001+ $26,132 $26,736 -
Beloit College
Beloit Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $51,532 $53,348 Room and Board $9,630 $9,688 Books $1,000 $1,018 Other Expenses $1,352 $1,376 Total $63,514 $65,430 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $7,970 $8,210 $30,001 - $48k $8,873 $9,141 $48,001 - $75k $10,850 $11,177 $75,001 - $110k $12,822 $13,209 $110,001+ $18,666 $19,229 -
Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $31,798 $33,770 Room and Board $8,950 $9,488 Books $700 $700 Other Expenses $4,992 $4,992 Total $46,440 $48,950 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $17,584 $18,534 $30,001 - $48k $18,016 $18,990 $48,001 - $75k $17,671 $18,626 $75,001 - $110k $17,068 $17,990 $110,001+ $21,320 $22,472 -
Carroll University
Waukesha Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $32,850 $34,010 Room and Board $10,058 $10,550 Books $1,126 $1,140 Other Expenses $2,504 $2,534 Total $46,538 $48,234 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $18,113 $18,773 $30,001 - $48k $18,414 $19,085 $48,001 - $75k $22,237 $23,047 $75,001 - $110k $24,572 $25,467 $110,001+ $25,164 $26,081 -
Carthage College
Kenosha Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $45,100 $31,500 Room and Board $12,400 $12,400 Books $1,200 $1,200 Other Expenses $2,500 $2,500 Total $61,200 $47,600 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $22,550 $17,539 $30,001 - $48k $24,485 $19,044 $48,001 - $75k $26,106 $20,305 $75,001 - $110k $27,781 $21,607 $110,001+ $29,677 $23,082 -
Concordia University-Wisconsin
Mequon Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $30,352 $31,182 Room and Board $11,170 $11,470 Books $1,800 $1,900 Other Expenses $3,100 $2,900 Total $46,422 $47,452 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $17,665 $18,057 $30,001 - $48k $19,092 $19,516 $48,001 - $75k $22,710 $23,214 $75,001 - $110k $24,342 $24,882 $110,001+ $26,027 $26,604 -
Edgewood College
Madison Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $30,600 $31,700 Room and Board $11,350 $11,700 Books $800 $800 Other Expenses $2,912 $2,912 Total $45,662 $47,112 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $21,353 $22,031 $30,001 - $48k $21,017 $21,684 $48,001 - $75k $25,061 $25,857 $75,001 - $110k $25,493 $26,303 $110,001+ $28,589 $29,497 -
Lakeland University
Plymouth Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $29,880 $30,777 Room and Board $9,624 $9,634 Books $1,100 $1,100 Other Expenses $3,866 $3,948 Total $44,470 $45,459 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $21,089 $21,558 $30,001 - $48k $20,309 $20,761 $48,001 - $75k $21,266 $21,739 $75,001 - $110k $23,294 $23,812 $110,001+ $27,129 $27,732 -
Lawrence University
Appleton Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $49,122 $50,958 Room and Board $10,719 $10,977 Books $900 $900 Other Expenses $1,425 $1,425 Total $62,166 $64,260 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $12,921 $13,356 $30,001 - $48k $19,037 $19,678 $48,001 - $75k $17,061 $17,636 $75,001 - $110k $23,565 $24,359 $110,001+ $30,682 $31,715
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Maranatha Baptist University
Watertown Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $16,660 $17,650 Room and Board $7,300 $7,750 Books $1,300 $1,350 Other Expenses $2,850 $2,940 Total $28,110 $29,690 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $16,804 $17,749 $30,001 - $48k $17,509 $18,493 $48,001 - $75k $20,671 $21,833 $75,001 - $110k $23,363 $24,676 $110,001+ $24,738 $26,128 -
Marian University
Fond Du Lac Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $27,950 $28,560 Room and Board $7,650 $7,810 Books $800 $800 Other Expenses $3,158 $3,100 Total $39,558 $40,270 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $18,088 $18,414 $30,001 - $48k $18,635 $18,970 $48,001 - $75k $19,841 $20,198 $75,001 - $110k $23,359 $23,779 $110,001+ $28,212 $28,720 -
Marquette University
Milwaukee Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $43,936 $45,666 Room and Board $13,200 $13,656 Books $816 $816 Other Expenses $2,548 $2,550 Total $60,500 $62,688 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $18,589 $19,261 $30,001 - $48k $21,378 $22,151 $48,001 - $75k $25,377 $26,295 $75,001 - $110k $31,499 $32,638 $110,001+ $37,735 $39,100 -
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Milwaukee Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $42,162 $43,575 Room and Board $9,768 $10,479 Books $1,000 $1,000 Other Expenses $2,200 $1,810 Total $55,130 $56,864 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $19,593 $20,209 $30,001 - $48k $19,868 $20,493 $48,001 - $75k $18,854 $19,447 $75,001 - $110k $23,240 $23,971 $110,001+ $30,042 $30,987 -
Mount Mary University
Milwaukee Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $31,160 $32,790 Room and Board $9,180 $9,180 Books $1,400 $1,400 Other Expenses $6,510 $6,432 Total $48,250 $49,802 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $19,417 $20,042 $30,001 - $48k $18,804 $19,409 $48,001 - $75k $21,167 $21,848 $75,001 - $110k $27,794 $28,688 $110,001+ $28,270 $29,179 -
Northland College
Ashland Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $37,516 $38,596 Room and Board $9,406 $9,688 Books $800 $800 Other Expenses $2,650 $2,650 Total $50,372 $51,734 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $16,112 $16,548 $30,001 - $48k $16,375 $16,818 $48,001 - $75k $18,705 $19,211 $75,001 - $110k $21,942 $22,535 $110,001+ $24,341 $24,999 -
Ripon College
Ripon Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $45,113 $47,123 Room and Board $8,653 $8,653 Books $750 $750 Other Expenses $1,600 $1,600 Total $56,116 $58,126 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $14,175 $14,683 $30,001 - $48k $17,767 $18,403 $48,001 - $75k $18,085 $18,733 $75,001 - $110k $22,596 $23,405 $110,001+ $26,820 $27,781 -
Saint Norbert College
De Pere Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $39,529 $40,885 Room and Board $10,435 $10,885 Books $950 $950 Other Expenses $1,100 $1,100 Total $52,014 $53,820 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $22,363 $23,139 $30,001 - $48k $19,840 $20,529 $48,001 - $75k $21,825 $22,583 $75,001 - $110k $26,226 $27,137 $110,001+ $30,484 $31,542 -
Viterbo University
La Crosse Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $28,650 $29,350 Room and Board $9,295 $9,670 Books $1,000 $1,000 Other Expenses $2,500 $2,500 Total $41,445 $42,520 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $13,699 $14,054 $30,001 - $48k $14,905 $15,292 $48,001 - $75k $18,070 $18,539 $75,001 - $110k $19,559 $20,066 $110,001+ $25,553 $26,216 -
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Milwaukee Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $30,850 $31,754 Room and Board $10,496 $10,730 Books $800 $800 Other Expenses $2,316 $2,378 Total $44,462 $45,662 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $13,073 $13,426 $30,001 - $48k $17,520 $17,993 $48,001 - $75k $14,874 $15,275 $75,001 - $110k $23,045 $23,667 $110,001+ $26,243 $26,951
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