Every figure is for a student starting in fall 2027. We work each one out again whenever we update the site.
Paying for college in Wisconsin
What the state and its colleges give families, who gets it, and how to apply. See every Wisconsin college priced for your income
From the state
Across state lines
From the colleges
Pay less for college
A SmartTuition plan shows what to pay from where, each semester.
In our Wisconsin scenarios, with good parent credit, a SmartTuition plan saves a median of about $6,700 over four years. How we worked this out ↓
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From the state
Wisconsin's programs. Most come through the FAFSA or the state's own aid application; a few have their own.
Wisconsin Grant
A need-based grant for Wisconsin residents at a University of Wisconsin campus, a technical college or a tribal college. The board sets the minimum and maximum each year. A student can get it for up to ten semesters.
Source: State of Wisconsin, Higher Educational Aids Board
“The Wisconsin Grant Program provides grant assistance to undergraduate, Wisconsin residents enrolled in degree or certificate programs at University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Technical College, and Tribal institutions. Awards are based on financial need and enrollment.”
“Award Amount: Minimum and maximum awards set annually by HEAB.”
“Eligibility cannot exceed ten semesters.”
Wisconsin Grant for private colleges
A need-based grant for Wisconsin residents at a private nonprofit college or university based in Wisconsin, such as Marquette or Lawrence. The board sets the maximum each year.
Source: State of Wisconsin, Higher Educational Aids Board
“The Wisconsin Grant (WG-PNP) Program provides grant assistance to undergraduate, Wisconsin residents enrolled in a degree or certificate program at non-profit, independent colleges or universities based in Wisconsin.”
“The maximum award amount is established annually by HEAB.”
Talent Incentive Program Grant
A grant of $600 to $1,800 for a first-time freshman with great financial need and educational disadvantage. The college’s aid office or a state opportunity program nominates the student. It continues while the student shows need.
Source: State of Wisconsin, Higher Educational Aids Board
“The Talent Incentive Program (TIP) Grant provides grant assistance to the most financially needy and educationally disadvantaged Wisconsin resident students attending colleges and universities in the State of Wisconsin.”
“Award Amount: $600 to $1,800 for initial awards”
Academic Excellence Scholarship
A scholarship of $2,250 a year toward tuition for the Wisconsin high school senior with the highest grade point average at each high school. The student must enroll full time at a participating Wisconsin college.
Source: State of Wisconsin, Higher Educational Aids Board
“Academic Excellence Scholarships (AES) are awarded to Wisconsin high school seniors who have the highest grade point average in each public and private high school throughout the State of Wisconsin.”
“The value of the scholarship is $2,250 per year, to be applied towards tuition.”
Wisconsin also has grants for Native American students, for students with hearing or vision loss, and programs for future teachers and nurses. See the Higher Educational Aids Board's list.
From the colleges
What each college gives for grades, what it promises on aid, and its full price.
| College | Merit scholarships | Promise on aid | Full price a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll University private |
| — | $57,938 |
| Carthage College private |
| — | $60,549 |
| Concordia University-Wisconsin private |
| — | $56,580 |
| Edgewood University private | None published | — | $55,413 |
| Lakeland University private | None published | Lakeland Promise: tuition covered for Wisconsin residents with an adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less | $53,502 |
| Lawrence University private | None published | — | $79,361 |
| Marian University (Wisconsin) private |
| — | $54,227 |
| Marquette University private | None published | — | $73,028 |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering private | None published | — | $74,192 |
| Saint Norbert College private | None published | — | $64,846 |
| UW-Eau Claire public |
| — | $20,313 |
| UW-Green Bay public |
| — | $19,318 |
| UW-La Crosse public |
| — | $20,733 |
| UW-Madison public |
| Bucky’s Tuition Promise: tuition and segregated fees for Wisconsin students with a household adjusted gross income of $65,000 or less | $28,954 |
| UW-Milwaukee public |
| Milwaukee Tuition Promise: tuition and segregated fees for Wisconsin students from families earning less than $62,000 | $24,802 |
| UW-Oshkosh public |
| — | $21,144 |
| UW-Parkside public |
| — | $20,068 |
| UW-Platteville public |
| — | $20,197 |
| UW-River Falls public |
| Falcon Tuition Promise: tuition and fees after other aid, for Wisconsin students with a total income of $62,000 or less | $18,402 |
| UW-Stevens Point public |
| — | $20,060 |
| UW-Stout public |
| — | $23,227 |
| UW-Superior public |
| — | $19,098 |
| UW-Whitewater public |
| — | $18,425 |
| Viterbo University private | None published | — | $50,649 |
* The finder and our college comparison show this scholarship when you enter your student's GPA.
Each college's page has a promise's conditions, in the college's own words. “Worth asking about” marks a program the college describes in words that stop short of a promise.
Full price: tuition and fees, housing and food, and books; in state at a public university. What your family would pay after grants depends on your income: the finder shows it.
Across state lines
The Midwest Student Exchange Program, run by the Midwestern Higher Education Compact.
Coming to Wisconsin from another Midwest exchange state
Students from Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio can pay no more than 150% of resident tuition at the public colleges that take part, for the programs each chooses. Private colleges take 10% off.
A student applies to the college, not to the exchange.
In Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point (not for students from Minnesota and Ohio) and University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (not for students from Minnesota) take part.
Going from Wisconsin to another Midwest exchange state
A Wisconsin student can use it the other way, at the colleges that take part in the other seven states. Each college's exchange contact explains how to apply.
Source: Midwestern Higher Education Compact, Midwest Student Exchange Program
“Through the MSEP, participating public institutions agree to charge students no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate for selected programs, and private institutions offer a 10% reduction on their tuition rates.”
“Eight of MHEC’s member states participate in this voluntary program: Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.”
“You must be a legal resident of one of these eight states and enrolling as a non-resident at a participating institution in one of the other participating states.”
“You apply directly to the school, not to the MSEP.”
Paying the rest
Your SmartTuition plan uses your savings, your 529, your loans and your award letter.
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How we worked these out
What a SmartTuition plan saves
The $6,700 in the “Pay less for college” box near the top of this page is the median saving over our Wisconsin scenarios. Each scenario is a household in Wisconsin at one of its colleges. Its income is one of 8 from $45,000 to $200,000, and its savings are none, $40,000 or $100,000 in a 529. We price each college at the aid it reports for the income.
Every scenario has parents with good credit and $500 a month toward college. A saving is the difference, over four years, between a SmartTuition plan and the standard approach: savings first, then loans for the rest. It counts loan interest and the federal tax credit. Credit matters: parents with fair credit borrow at a higher rate, which changes the saving.
A scenario where the parents would borrow more than $65,000 is left out, as is one at a college that reports no aid for the income. The figure is for a household that lives in Wisconsin.
Costs: each college's own published price where it has one, otherwise the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, carried forward to fall 2027. Grants: each program’s own page. Scholarships: each college's own page, read by us and checked against it. SmartTuition.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any institution named here.