University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It enrolls 6,877 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
63/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes28
Value82
Affordability43
Selectivity27
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh admits 86.5% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
86.5%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
18 – 25
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
10.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $14,305 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$8,532
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$16,446
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,410
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,410
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,500
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,500
Total Cost of Attendance
$19,652
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$9,236
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,654
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,601
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,853
Over $110,000
$19,223
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,50010%percentile
$7,28825%percentile
$21,500Medianpercentile
$26,50075%percentile
$32,58390%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $14,369
↓ $7,131
No Pell $12,000
↓ $9,500
Dependent students $12,000
↓ $9,500
Independent students $15,750
↓ $5,750
Female students $13,189
↓ $8,311
Male students $12,000
↓ $9,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($21,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
56% of students who start here finish within six years, and 71% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
56%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
71%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $55,548 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$55,548
Earning > $25K
86%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$42,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$50,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$42,700
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$45,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$46,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,600, about 17% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
11.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 90% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 6,877 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 31% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
6,877
Part-Time
14%
First-Generation
31%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 79.0%5,432
Hispanic 6.7%462
Asian 4.3%295
Other 4.0%273
Black 2.5%171
International 2.1%142
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
80 distinct programs across
23 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 21 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
21:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$13,384
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$40M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$78,040
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
381 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
136
36%
$92,637
Associate Professors
102
27%
$77,169
Assistant Professors
91
24%
$69,987
Instructors
2
1%
$87,421
Lecturers
50
13%
$54,397
Pros & Cons of University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
The questions families ask most about University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh hard to get into?
Not especially. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 86.5%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh?
86.5% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh?
Aim for 25 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 18 and 25 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh cost?
Budget around $14,305 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $55,548 a year against a net price of $14,305, about 3.9 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh known for?
Mostly Nursing, Liberal Arts, Teacher Education (K-12). Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh graduates earn?
About $55,548 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh accredited?
Yes. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh?
6,877 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh?
56% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh located?
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
What programs does University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh offer?
80 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Liberal Arts, Teacher Education (K-12). If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh?
21 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Wisconsin
Other colleges in Wisconsin share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,811 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,811 colleges. The median school costs $16,296 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,280 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
