From graduation rates to degrees conferred, records fall at UW–Madison

The 2022-23 academic year was a record-breaker for student outcomes at the University of Wisconsin–Madison:

• The four-year graduation rate rose to 75.5%, the highest ever.
• The six-year graduation rate rose to 89.3%, the highest ever.
• The average time-to-degree for a bachelor’s degree recipient decreased to 3.84 calendar years, the shortest ever.
• The university conferred a record number of total degrees, driven by a record number of bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

“These metrics are excellent news, not only for our students but also for Wisconsin’s families and our state workforce,” says Provost Charles Isbell. “UW–Madison is graduating more undergraduates who are taking less time to complete their degrees, thus reducing the cost of a college education while ensuring that Wisconsin employers have ready access to a deep pool of skilled and motivated individuals who will be able to enjoy long, impactful careers.”

Numerous factors are contributing to these record-breaking outcomes, beginning with hard-working students, Isbell says.

“These trends also reflect well on the institution as a whole,” he says. “Students are able to earn their degrees in a timely manner because of the hard work of so many campus units. Success starts with a competitive and holistic admissions process and continues with talented instructors, highly knowledgeable advisors and employees all across campus, all tightly focused on supporting students.”

UW–Madison’s four-year graduation rate of 75.5% is up from 75.1% the prior year, according to the university’s Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research office. The latest figure is based on students who entered the university as new freshmen in the fall of 2019. The four-year graduation rate has been on a sharp rise for many years and was 62.7% just six years ago.

The six-year graduation rate of 89.3% is up from 89.2% the prior year. The latest figure is based on freshmen who entered the university in the fall of 2017.

For 2022-23 bachelor’s degree recipients, the average time-to-degree improved to 3.84 calendar years from 3.85 the prior year. Time-to-degree is calculated based on students who graduate in a given year, regardless of when they started.

At 12,407, the number of total degrees conferred topped 12,000 for the first time in the university’s history. The number of bachelor’s degrees was the highest ever at 8,094, and the number of master’s degrees was the highest ever at 2,840.