More selective than 69% of Wisconsin colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $19,593. College Scorecard.
Higher than 84% of Wisconsin colleges we cover and 80% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 88% of Wisconsin colleges we cover and 70% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse acceptance rate & admissions
Of 7,312 applicants, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse admitted 5,356 and 2,301 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Wisconsin residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What University of Wisconsin-La Crosse costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Wisconsin-La Crosse took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Wisconsin. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $8,224 | $35,774 | 1.6 years |
| $30–48k | $8,766 | $38,132 | 1.7 years |
| $48–75k | $10,608 | $46,145 | 2.0 years |
| $75–110k | $17,394 | $75,664 | 3.3 years |
| $110k+ | $18,991 | $82,611 | 3.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (49% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($60,378) minus $37,564 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,814 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse majors, earnings & careers
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse offers 45 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 9
- Health & Medicine · 7
- Humanities & Languages · 7
- Science & Math · 7
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 7
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 3
- Communications & Media · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $93,633 | $22,479 |
| Physics | $80,594 | $26,292 |
| Management Information Systems | $80,552 | — |
| Accounting | $78,296 | $23,264 |
| Finance | $76,227 | $21,909 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $75,197 | $26,750 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | $73,439 | $19,500 |
| Economics | $71,768 | $25,000 |
Quick list of all 45 majors
- Accounting$78,296
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$75,197
- Archeology$42,939
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$67,446
- Business Administration$67,521
- Chemistry—
- Communications$56,470
- Computer and Information Sciences$93,633
- Curriculum and Instruction$47,047
- Economics$71,768
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$46,328
- Education (Subject Teaching)$53,218
- English$46,043
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Finance$76,227
- Geography—
- German—
- Health Administration—
- Health Sciences—
- History$50,745
- Insurance$69,283
- International Business$71,022
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$58,233
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Information Systems$80,552
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing$61,191
- Mathematics$69,288
- Medical Laboratory Science$73,439
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$68,454
- Music—
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management$44,710
- Philosophy—
- Physics$80,594
- Political Science$57,256
- Psychology$55,173
- Public Administration$60,079
- Public Health$55,418
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences$58,908
- Sociology$50,737
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$55,614
- Statistics—
- Studio Art$34,880
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Biology → Biological technician
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Marketing → Marketing specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in La Crosse
Overall prices in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,343. Housing costs 31% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 37 inches of rain a year, 54 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, La Crosse County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
La Crosse County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Wisconsin by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | 76% | $16,210 | 71% | $60,378 | This school |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 82% | $16,550 | 64% | $58,561 | |
| University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 86% | $14,158 | 59% | $55,356 | |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls | 82% | $14,054 | 57% | $54,458 | |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout | 88% | $17,490 | 55% | $58,084 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse would cost you $340 less per year than University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, on average.
- Lower sticker price at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, mostly from a lower estimate for personal & travel costs (−$1,330).
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire gives aided families $1,772 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Wisconsin resident | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $10,070 | $9,642 | +$428 |
| Books & supplies | $120 | $400 | −$280 |
| Housing & meals | $7,960 | $9,200 | −$1,240 |
| Personal & travel | $2,036 | $3,366 | −$1,330 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$593 | −$903 | +$310 |
| Sticker price | $19,593 | $21,705 | −$2,112 |
| Average grants | −$3,383 | −$5,155 | +$1,772 |
| You pay | $16,210 | $16,550 | −$340 |
“+” means University of Wisconsin-La Crosse costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
What is the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse acceptance rate?
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse accepts 76% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 5,356 of 7,312 applicants were admitted.
How much does University of Wisconsin-La Crosse cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $19,593 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $16,210 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $8,224 and families earning $110k+ pay $18,991.
How much do University of Wisconsin-La Crosse graduates earn?
Former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students earn a median $60,378 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse graduation rate?
71% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 87% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse costs about $46,145 after grants ($10,608 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $60,378 ten years after starting, $22,814 more than high school graduates in Wisconsin ($37,564), so the cost is repaid in 2.0 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is University of Wisconsin-La Crosse the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Wisconsin-La Crosse: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).