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University of Wisconsin-Madison Ranking Badges

UW - Madison earned 283 ranking badges in the 2027 College Factual rankings: 61 in the top 1%, 101 in the top 5%, 84 in the top 10% and 37 in the top 15% of the schools in each ranking. Its highest placement is #1 of 181 in Most Popular for Germanic Languages, a top 1% award.

Key facts

• Badges earned: 283 (2027 edition)
• In the top 1% / top 5%: 61 / 101
• Highest placement: #1 of 181, a top 1% award
• Fields of study with a badge: 28
• Placements this edition: 804
• Badge cutoff: a top 15% placement in a ranking

Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.

How Many Ranking Badges Has University of Wisconsin-Madison Earned?

University of Wisconsin-Madison holds 283 ranking badges across 28 fields of study, 162 of them in the top 5% or better; each badge is an award for placing in the top 15% of a ranking. We update our rankings throughout the year as new data becomes available. The awards below are from the 2027 edition. The tier columns show the best placement reached in each ranking. Learn more about our data sources and methodologies. If you are an administrator interested in using our badge program to showcase your college’s strengths, please contact us.

Count by Award Level

Award Level	Badges
Top 1%	61
Top 5%	101
Top 10%	84
Top 15%	37
Total	283

What Is University of Wisconsin-Madison Known For?

University of Wisconsin-Madison is best known for Business, Management & Marketing: 32 of its 264 traditional-student awards are in that field. Its top-ranked majors include Agricultural Public Services, Food Science Technology and Genetics.

College Overall

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Overall Best				✓
Overall Best (Great Lakes)				✓
Overall Best (Wisconsin)			✓
Male / Female Diversity		✓
Male / Female Diversity (Great Lakes)		✓
Male / Female Diversity (Wisconsin)	✓
Location Diversity		✓
Location Diversity (Great Lakes)		✓
Location Diversity (Wisconsin)		✓
Most Popular				✓
Most Popular (Great Lakes)				✓
Most Popular (Wisconsin)				✓
Highest Paid Graduates (Great Lakes)		✓
Highest Paid Graduates (Wisconsin)			✓

Agriculture

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Agricultural Economics
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular	✓
Agricultural Public Services
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Highest Paid Graduates				✓
Animal Science
Top Ranked		✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Food Science Technology
Top Ranked			✓
Highest Paid Graduates				✓

Architecture/Urban Planning

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
General Architecture
Top Ranked			✓

Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Biochemistry & Biophysics
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular				✓
Biotechnology
Most Popular		✓
Botany/Plant Biology
Most Popular	✓
General Biology
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓
Genetics
Most Popular				✓
Microbiology Science & Immunology
Most Popular			✓
Highest Paid Graduates	✓
Neurobiology & Neurosciences
Most Popular				✓
Pharmacology & Toxicology
Most Popular		✓
Physiology & Pathology Sciences
Top Ranked	✓
Zoology
Most Popular	✓

Business, Management & Marketing

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓
Accounting
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Business & Commerce
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Business Administration & Management
Top Ranked				✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Entrepreneurial Studies
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular				✓
Most Focused	✓
Finance & Financial Management
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
General Sales & Marketing
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Insurance
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates				✓
International Business
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Management Information Systems
Top Ranked		✓
Management Sciences & Methods
Top Ranked		✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Marketing
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Real Estate
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓

Communication & Journalism

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Communication & Media Studies
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓
Journalism
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Public Relations & Advertising
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular		✓
Radio, TV & Digital Communication
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓

Computer & Information Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Computer Information Systems
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Highest Paid Graduates	✓
Information Science
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓

Education

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Curriculum & Instruction
Most Popular		✓
Education Philosophy
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓
General Education
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular		✓
Other Education
Top Ranked			✓
Special Education
Top Ranked		✓
Teacher Education Grade Specific
Top Ranked			✓
Teacher Education Subject Specific
Top Ranked		✓
Teaching English or French
Top Ranked				✓

Engineering

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Biomedical Engineering
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular		✓
Chemical Engineering
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular	✓
Highest Paid Graduates	✓
Civil Engineering
Top Ranked	✓
Computer Engineering
Top Ranked		✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Electrical Engineering
Most Popular			✓
Engineering Mechanics
Most Popular				✓
Environmental Engineering
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
General Engineering
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Geoscience Engineering
Highest Paid Graduates				✓
Industrial Engineering
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Mechanical Engineering
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
Nuclear Engineering
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Other Engineering
Top Ranked			✓
Systems Engineering
Top Ranked			✓

Engineering Technologies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Engineering-Related Fields
Top Ranked			✓

English Language & Literature

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓
General English Literature
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓

Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Most Popular				✓
Area Studies
Most Popular				✓
Ethnic Studies
Most Popular				✓
Most Focused		✓

Family, Consumer & Human Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓
Child Development & Family Studies
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular		✓
General Family & Consumer Sciences
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓

Foreign Languages & Linguistics

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓
East Asian Languages
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Germanic Languages
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓
Most Focused	✓
Romance Languages
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular				✓
Slavic, Baltic & Albanian Languages
Most Popular			✓

Health Professions

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Allied Health Professions
Top Ranked			✓
Bioethics/Medical Ethics
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science
Top Ranked				✓
Communication Sciences
Most Popular		✓
Dietetics & Nutrition Services
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular	✓
Medicine
Top Ranked			✓
Nursing
Top Ranked			✓
Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Public Health
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Rehabilitation Professions
Most Popular		✓

History

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓
History
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓

Legal Professions

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓
Non-Professional Legal Studies
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓

Liberal Arts & Humanities

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Liberal Arts General Studies
Top Ranked				✓

Library Science

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Library & Information Science
Top Ranked	✓

Mathematics & Statistics

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular			✓
Mathematics
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓
Highest Paid Graduates	✓
Statistics
Most Popular		✓

Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Classical & Ancient Studies
Most Popular				✓
Data Science.
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓
Most Focused	✓
Geography and Environmental Studies.
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular	✓
International Studies
Most Popular			✓
Medieval Studies
Most Popular		✓
Multicultural & Diversity Studies
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Nutrition Science
Top Ranked	✓
Other Interdisciplinary Studies
Top Ranked				✓
Sustainability Science
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓

Natural Resources & Conservation

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular				✓
Natural Resources Conservation
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular				✓
Wildlife Management
Top Ranked		✓

Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Health & Physical Education
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓

Philosophy & Religious Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Most Popular			✓
Philosophy
Most Popular			✓
Religious Studies
Top Ranked			✓
Best Value	✓

Physical Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Most Popular				✓
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular	✓
Atmospheric Sciences
Most Popular		✓
Chemistry
Most Popular				✓
Physics
Most Popular			✓

Psychology

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓
Child Development & Psychology
Top Ranked	✓
Clinical & Counseling Psychology
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓
General Psychology
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓

Public & Social Service

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓
Public Policy
Most Popular				✓
Social Work
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓

Social Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Anthropology
Top Ranked	✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Criminology
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓
Economics
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓
Geography & Cartography
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓
Political Science & Government
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓
Sociology
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓

Visual & Performing Arts

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Dance
Top Ranked			✓
Design & Applied Arts
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Drama & Theater Arts
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Film, Video & Photographic Arts
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular	✓
Fine & Studio Arts
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Music
Top Ranked		✓

How Does University of Wisconsin-Madison Rank in Athletics?

In College Factual’s 2027 athletics rankings, University of Wisconsin-Madison earned 14 badges across 13 sports, 5 of them in the top 5% or better; its highest placement is #8 of 596 in Football.

College Overall

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Overall Athletics (D1)	✓
Overall Athletics		✓

Men’s Sports

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Basketball		✓
Basketball (D1)	✓
Football			✓
Football (D1)			✓
Golf		✓
Tennis	✓
Wrestling			✓
Wrestling (D1)	✓

Women’s Sports

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Soccer		✓
Softball	✓
Volleyball			✓
Volleyball (D1)			✓

How Does University of Wisconsin-Madison Rank for Online Students?

In College Factual’s 2027 online-program rankings, University of Wisconsin-Madison earned 2 badges across 2 online programs; its highest placement is #11 of 191 in Most Popular Online for Marketing.

Business, Management & Marketing

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Finance & Financial Management
Most Popular Online		✓
Marketing
Most Popular Online		✓

How Does University of Wisconsin-Madison Rank for Veterans?

In College Factual’s 2027 veterans rankings, University of Wisconsin-Madison earned 3 badges; its highest placement is #364 of 4,939 in Best for Veterans.

College Overall

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Best for Veterans		✓

Health Professions

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
Nursing
Top Ranked Veterans	✓

Continue Your Research on UW - Madison

• All rankings for UW - Madison
• UW - Madison overview
• Best Colleges ranking
• UW - Madison official website
• UW - Madison on Wikipedia
• UW - Madison on Twitter
• UW - Madison on Facebook

Notes and References

These rankings are grounded in U.S. Department of Education data, 2027 edition. University of Wisconsin-Madison appears in 804 of the College Factual rankings covered on this page.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.