Location
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Madison, WI
- Harvard University
- Cambridge, MA
University of Wisconsin-Madison vs Harvard University
Madison, WI · Cambridge, MA · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate
Scorecard match plate
Pair WI:MA
MIXED-SECTOR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-GAP · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-ACCEPT
- MIXED-SECTOR Mixed sector
- CROSS-STATE WI × MA
- ACCEPT-GAP Admission gap
- NET-SPLIT Net-price split
- EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
- DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
- COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
- GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate
Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the NET-SPLIT · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.
Decade path · College Scorecard
One campus shows net-price relief; the peer does not
NET-SPLIT · 2013–2023
Over 2013–2023, only one school has a directional decline in average net price; the other stays a measured range. Cost gaps on this board are moving targets, not fixed snapshot deltas.
- Harvard University: net price ranged $13,259–$19,500 across 11 years (2013–2023); endpoint change +19.7% is not a trend (r² 0.10).
- University of Wisconsin-Madison: average net price fell -7.9% from $18,387 (2013) to $16,928 (2023), r² 0.58.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison: acceptance rate tightened -36.2% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.42).
- Harvard University: acceptance rate tightened -40.9% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).
College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.
Scorecard metrics
Type
- Harvard University
- Private Nonprofit
Undergraduate Enrollment
- Harvard University
- 7,601
Acceptance Rate
- Harvard University
- 3.6%
In-State Tuition
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- $11,603
- Harvard University
- $61,676
Median Earnings (6 yr)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- $61,275
- Harvard University
- $99,572
Out-of-State Tuition
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- $42,103
- Harvard University
- $61,676
Median Debt at Graduation
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- $20,484
- Harvard University
- $14,000
Median Earnings (10 yr)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- $73,792
- Harvard University
- $101,817
Avg Net Price
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- $17,354
- Harvard University
- $19,066
150%-Time Completion
- Harvard University
- 97.5%
Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.
| Metric | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI | Harvard University Cambridge, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Madison, WI | Cambridge, MA |
| Type | Public | Private Nonprofit |
| Undergraduate Enrollment | 36,902 | 7,601 |
| Acceptance Rate | 45.2% | 3.6% |
| In-State Tuition | $11,603 | $61,676 |
| Median Earnings (6 yr) | $61,275 | $99,572 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $42,103 | $61,676 |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $20,484 | $14,000 |
| Median Earnings (10 yr) | $73,792 | $101,817 |
| Avg Net Price | $17,354 | $19,066 |
| 150%-Time Completion | 89.4% | 97.5% |
Largest gaps: University of Wisconsin-Madison vs Harvard University
- ACCEPTANCE-RATE Harvard University leads on acceptance rate (3.6% vs 45.2% at University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- IN-STATE-TUITION University of Wisconsin-Madison leads on in-state tuition ($11,603 vs $61,676 at Harvard University)
- MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 Harvard University leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($99,572 vs $61,275 at University of Wisconsin-Madison)
University of Wisconsin-Madison profile · Harvard University profile · Compare other colleges
Also on the Scorecard board
Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions
On acceptance rate, who leads between University of Wisconsin-Madison and Harvard University?▼
Harvard University leads on acceptance rate at 3.6% versus 45.2% at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On in-state tuition, who leads between University of Wisconsin-Madison and Harvard University?▼
University of Wisconsin-Madison leads on in-state tuition at $11,603 versus $61,676 at Harvard University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between University of Wisconsin-Madison and Harvard University?▼
Harvard University leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $99,572 versus $61,275 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); acceptance rate focus for this pair · 2025