Madison Reporter

The University of Wisconsin–Madison has been recognized by the Princeton Review as one of 209 "Best Value Colleges" for 2025. This acknowledgment highlights universities with strong academics, affordable costs, and promising career prospects for graduates.

UW–Madison received a "Return on Investment" rating of 91 out of 99 from Princeton Review. This score was based on alumni surveys that evaluated starting and mid-career salaries, career social impact, academic ratings, financial aid ratings, and college costs.

Among public schools, UW ranked No. 17 for best value, No. 7 for best financial aid, No. 16 for schools making an impact, and No. 14 for best alumni networks.

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin commented on the recognition: "Accessibility and affordability are core to our mission at UW–Madison, and we have been able to advance those priorities through a wide variety of programs that provide financial assistance to Wisconsin residents and others who need it." She added, "I’m pleased that this ranking demonstrates that a UW education lays the groundwork for our graduates to pursue and attain rewarding careers."

The university offers various programs such as Bucky’s Tuition Promise, which guarantees scholarships and grants to cover tuition and fees for Wisconsin resident students in need; Bucky’s Pell Pathway provides full-need funding for students qualifying for Pell grants; the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise covers the full in-state cost of attendance for Wisconsin Native Nations students pursuing their first undergraduate degree; and the Badger Promise assists Wisconsin transfer students.

Financial aid rankings consider both the amount of aid awarded by a school and student satisfaction with that aid. The schools making an impact rating is determined by student feedback on community service opportunities, student government involvement, sustainability efforts, and on-campus engagement.

Princeton Review's selection process involved data from institutional and student surveys along with Payscale.com data concerning alumni career outcomes and salary statistics. More than 40 data points related to academics, costs, financial aid, debt levels, graduation rates, and career/salary data were considered in their evaluation.