As out-of-state students become an increasingly integral component of the Wisconsin experience, the University of Wisconsin-Madison finds itself at the crossroads of diversity, enrollment challenges and the evolving landscape of higher education.
It’s during a time when the UW System faces enrollment-related campus closures and budget shortfalls while preparing for a new guaranteed admissions program — one that a pending bill would extend to UW-Madison.
This year, UW-Madison reached a record enrollment of 50,662 students, the first time this number has exceeded 50,000. Of the 9,095 new freshmen and transfer students on campus this fall, 51.2% came from out of state, and 7.2% from overseas.
As the student population at UW-Madison continues to grow, so does the out-of-state student presence. Out-of-state enrollment rose by 29% from the fall of 2016 to the fall of 2019 after a cap on out-of-state student enrollment was removed, according to Higher Ed Dive.
In recent years, UW-Madison has begun to see more out-of-state students than in-state students.
In 2020, out-of-state students made up 48% of the student body, but that number rose to 51% in 2021. Out-of-state student representation continued to grow in the coming years — non-resident students made up 53% of the student body in 2022 and 2023.
Growing student bodies are represented in increasing tuition totals, as well. A 4% tuition increase approved by the UW System Board of Regents brought in-state tuition to $9,646 per semester in the 2023-24 academic year, while a 3% increase for out-of-state undergraduates brought the total to $39,041.52.
That’s a number far higher than the 2023 national average out-of-state cost of $27,091, according to the Education Data Initiative.
Student demographics, rising numbers of underrepresented students
Even though students from Minnesota receive tuition reciprocity, they don’t make up the largest percentage of non-resident students, according to UW-Madison’s Office of the Registrar.
In the 2023-24 freshmen class, only 449 students came from Minnesota, while 695 came from Illinois. Plenty of students come from other regions, too — 368 students came from California, and 217 came from New York.
According to UW-Madison statistics, percentages for underrepresented students of color are at their highest ever, comprising 17.8% of the 2024 class.
The enrolled student population in the 2022-23 school year — the latest data available on underrepresented students — was 7.8% Asian, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino and 2.3% African American. Less than 0.5% of students were American Indian or Alaska Native, and less than 0.1% were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.
UW-Madison introduced a cost-of-attendance covering program meant to increase enrollment and retention for Wisconsin Indigenous students in December.
Out-of-state students navigate, bring different perspectives and cultures
Beyond geographic differences, non-resident students who spoke with The Daily Cardinal said differences in background and culture changed how they perceived UW-Madison’s educational environment.
For Bailey Valder, a UW-Madison junior from a primarily Jewish neighborhood in New York, a transition to Wisconsin meant searching for her place in a different culture. Finding people who celebrated the same holidays or held the same beliefs was “really hard,” Valder said.
But that search wasn’t wholly negative.
“Although it has been a struggle, it has made me more proud of who I am, not just as a Jewish woman, but as the person I am,” Valder said.
Aside from feeling a cultural difference, Valder said she’s experienced varying political beliefs within the student body compared to New York.
“Coming to an out-of-state school was really eye-opening for me, and I discovered that there is a lot more polarization in politics than I thought in the country, which has greatly influenced my career goals as I hope to attend law school and work in international relations,” Vader said.
Daniela Alberti, a UW-Madison freshman from New Jersey, focused on the diverse cultural experiences of students across the country.
“I really like being an out-of-state student. I like getting to know other people's cultures or lifestyles, and I think it's like fun when we compare how we pronounce words,” Alberti said. The frigid weather was one particularly fresh culture shock for her.
“I don't think I've ever seen so many people wear shorts when it’s 60 degrees,” Alberti said. “Throughout January, it’s supposed to be like -1 degrees when I have class, and I am not ready for that.”
Reflecting on the travel necessary to come from another state, Alberti said the experience shaped her into a more independent person. Logistical concerns like checking flights and scheduling return trips were constant “responsibilities that I gained from going out of state.”
“In terms of personal growth, it’s the independence I’ve gained,” Alberti added.
