There are 92 colleges in Wisconsin - 32 public and 60 private schools. At Wisconsin colleges, college Cost of Attendance (COA), which factors in tuition, fees, books, housing, meals, and personal expenses, has risen steadily in the past ten years, reflecting the growing price of higher education.
Wisconsin Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Wisconsin colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 15.36%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 15.25%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $32,795 when living on campus and $32,720 when living off campus.
Wisconsin Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
9.81% (from $8,024 to $8,811) |
$8,811 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
4.87% (from $16,388 to $17,186) |
$17,186 |
| Private Colleges |
31.33% (from $25,350 to $33,292) |
$33,292 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 4.87%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 7.44% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At Wisconsin colleges, living costs increased by 31.27% for on-campus and 31.04% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $14,585 (on-campus) and $14,510 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (10.23%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,024.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 15.36% when living on campus and 15.25% when living off campus at Wisconsin Colleges.
In private Wisconsin Colleges, the COA has increase by 30.79% (on-campus) and 30.72% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $32,795 when a student lives on campus and $32,720 when living off campus at Wisconsin Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Wisconsin Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of Wisconsin Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$20,064 | $28,428 | $37,390 | $20,026 | $28,390 | $37,352 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$20,630
2.82% | $28,721
1.03% | $38,691
3.48% | $20,686
3.30% | $28,777
1.36% | $38,747
3.73% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$20,973
1.66% | $28,345
-1.31% | $39,754
2.75% | $21,119
2.09% | $28,491
-0.99% | $39,900
2.98% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$21,259
1.36% | $28,776
1.52% | $39,700
-0.14% | $20,949
-0.80% | $28,466
-0.09% | $39,390
-1.28% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$21,223
-0.17% | $29,366
2.05% | $41,003
3.28% | $20,854
-0.45% | $28,997
1.87% | $40,634
3.16% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$21,484
1.23% | $29,735
1.26% | $41,651
1.58% | $21,285
2.07% | $29,536
1.86% | $41,452
2.01% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$21,865
1.77% | $30,159
1.43% | $42,607
2.30% | $21,458
0.81% | $29,752
0.73% | $42,200
1.80% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$22,456
2.70% | $30,695
1.78% | $43,578
2.28% | $22,077
2.88% | $30,316
1.90% | $43,199
2.37% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$23,779
5.89% | $31,594
2.93% | $46,368
6.40% | $23,532
6.59% | $31,347
3.40% | $46,121
6.76% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$24,420
2.70% | $32,795
3.80% | $48,901
5.46% | $24,345
3.45% | $32,720
4.38% | $48,826
5.87% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Wisconsin Colleges is $10,344 for Wisconsin residents and $18,719 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $34,316.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $11,457 for Wisconsin residents and $20,828 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $17,363.
The tuition & fees has increased 4.87% for undergraduate programs and 7.44% for graduate programs at Wisconsin Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for Wisconsin Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$8,024 | $16,388 | $25,350 | $8,929 | $18,085 | $15,049 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$8,536
6.38% | $16,627
1.46% | $26,597
4.92% | $9,121
2.15% | $17,726
-1.99% | $15,610
3.73% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$8,508
-0.33% | $15,880
-4.49% | $27,289
2.60% | $9,170
0.54% | $17,278
-2.53% | $15,985
2.40% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$8,547
0.46% | $16,064
1.16% | $26,988
-1.10% | $9,239
0.75% | $17,400
0.71% | $15,465
-3.25% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$8,205
-4.00% | $16,348
1.77% | $27,985
3.69% | $9,305
0.71% | $18,749
7.75% | $16,150
4.43% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$8,222
0.21% | $16,473
0.76% | $28,389
1.44% | $9,348
0.46% | $18,833
0.45% | $16,190
0.25% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$8,262
0.49% | $16,556
0.50% | $29,004
2.17% | $9,410
0.66% | $18,926
0.49% | $16,261
0.44% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$8,312
0.61% | $16,551
-0.03% | $29,434
1.48% | $9,916
5.38% | $20,145
6.44% | $16,763
3.09% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$8,713
4.82% | $16,528
-0.14% | $31,302
6.35% | $9,800
-1.17% | $18,936
-6.00% | $16,862
0.59% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$8,811
1.12% | $17,186
3.98% | $33,292
6.36% | $10,059
2.64% | $19,430
2.61% | $16,638
-1.33% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,024 for Wisconsin Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Wisconsin Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $929 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $944
1.61% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $921
-2.44% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $950
3.15% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $888
-6.53% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $903
1.69% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $907
0.44% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $982
8.27% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,020
3.87% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,024
0.39% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For Wisconsin Colleges, the living have increased 24.32% when a student lives on campus facilities and 23.03% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for Wisconsin Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $11,111 | $11,732 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $11,150
1.49% | $11,778
2.78% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $11,544
3.86% | $12,182
5.18% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $11,762
2.82% | $12,419
-2.86% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $12,130
2.97% | $12,787
2.59% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $12,359
2.53% | $13,045
4.60% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $12,696
3.22% | $13,321
1.82% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $13,162
2.66% | $13,783
3.35% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $14,046
5.47% | $14,800
6.07% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $14,585
5.49% | $15,306
8.25% |
|---|