Cost of Attendance
The cost of attending UW-Whitewater varies depending on individual student circumstances. The Financial Aid Office bases the financial aid award package on an estimated budget, which includes expenses directly billed by the university and expenses not billed by UW-W but for which allowances are included in the total estimated cost. The estimated Cost of Attendance is used only for financial aid purposes and will not necessarily reflect actual charges. The Cost Estimator provides a better picture of actual charges. The Student Accounts Office also publishes actual charges once they are available (usually mid-July for the upcoming fall term).
Estimated Cost of Attendance
The tables below under each aid year represent the current estimated Cost of Attendance budgets. Students who have received an award notification may view their estimated Cost of Attendance in WINS. In looking at the budget items in each table, some expenses will be charged by the university and others will not:
Direct Costs are expenses for which students will be billed by and thus paid to UW-W:
- Tuition/Fees - For all students, Direct Costs include tuition and fees.
- Housing/Food - For students living in a UW-W residence hall (housing) and participating in a UW-W meal plan (food), these expenses are Direct Costs.
Indirect Costs refer to expenses students may incur while attending college, but are not billed by UW-W:
- Housing/Food - Off-campus housing paid to a landlord and purchasing their own food instead of participating in a UW-W meal plan are Indirect Costs for those students.
- Supplies/Course Materials, Transportation, Miscellaneous Expenses, and Loan Fees (if applicable) - The other budget items in the Cost of Attendance tables are Indirect Costs to students.
- Indirect Costs may vary by student, but the estimates/averages included here allow for a picture of the overall cost to attend and are costs for which aid may be awarded.
For additional information on each budget item, see the Explanation of Terms section at the bottom of this page.
Residency is determined by the Admissions Office. Minnesota residents and non-residents whose parents or grandparents graduated from UW-Whitewater could qualify for a different tuition level. Contact the Admissions Office for more information.
Special Note as to Online programs and the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) program: Tuition and fees vary among online programs; in particular, rates will vary between bachelor's and master's programs. While the majority of online programs charge the same tuition for in-state, out-of-state and international students, there are exceptions. Also, the DBA Program does not have a tuition variance based on residency – all DBA students pay the same tuition rate. For more information on tuition and fees, visit Financial Services.
| Budget Item | WI Resident On Campus |
WI Resident Off Campus | WI Resident Living w/Parents |
Non-Resident On Campus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Costs | Tuition/Fees | $8976 | $8976 | $8976 | $19,076 |
| Housing/Food | $8400 | -- | -- | $8400 | |
| Subtotal | $17,376 | $8976 | $8976 | $27,476 | |
| Indirect Costs | Housing/Food | -- | $8630 | $3240 | -- |
| Supplies/Course Materials | $300 | $300 | $300 | $300 | |
| Transportation | $900 | $900 | $2140 | $900 | |
| Miscellaneous Expenses | $2260 | $2260 | $2260 | $2260 | |
| Loan Fees* | $62 | $62 | $62 | $62 | |
| ESTIMATED COST OF ATTENDANCE | $20,898 | $21,128 | $16,978 | $30,998 | |
| Budget Item | WI Resident On Campus |
WI Resident Off Campus | WI Resident Living w/Parents |
Non-Resident On Campus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Costs | Tuition/Fees | $6032 | $6032 | $6032 | $14,364 |
| Housing/Food | $8400 | -- | -- | $8400 | |
| Subtotal | $14,432 | $6032 | $6032 | $22,764 | |
| Indirect Costs | Housing/Food | -- | $8700 | $3240 | -- |
| Supplies/Course Materials | $300 | $300 | $300 | $300 | |
| Transportation | $900 | $2140 | $2140 | $900 | |
| Miscellaneous Expenses | $2260 | $2260 | $2260 | $2260 | |
| Loan Fees* | $62 | $62 | $62 | $62 | |
| ESTIMATED COST OF ATTENDANCE | $17,954 | $19,494 | $14,034 | $26,286 | |
| Budget Item | WI Resident | Non-Resident | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Costs | Tuition/Fees | $10,970 | $22,030 |
| Indirect Costs | Housing/Food | $9980 | $9980 |
| Supplies/Course Materials | $1120 | $1120 | |
| Transportation | $900 | $900 | |
| Miscellaneous Expenses | $2260 | $2260 | |
| Loan Fees* | $152 | $152 | |
| ESTIMATED COST OF ATTENDANCE | $25,382 | $36,442 |
|
| Budget Item | WI Resident On Campus |
WI Resident Off Campus | WI Resident Living w/Parents |
Non-Resident On Campus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Costs | Tuition/Fees | $8616 | $8616 | $8616 | $18,716 |
| Housing/Food | $8090 | -- | -- | $8090 | |
| Subtotal | $16,706 | $8616 | $8616 | $26,806 | |
| Indirect Costs | Housing/Food | -- | $8380 | $3110 | -- |
| Supplies/Course Materials | $300 | $300 | $300 | $300 | |
| Transportation | $970 | $970 | $2340 | $970 | |
| Miscellaneous Expenses | $2240 | $2240 | $2240 | $2240 | |
| Loan Fees* | $62 | $62 | $62 | $62 | |
| ESTIMATED COST OF ATTENDANCE | $20,278 | $20,568 | $16,668 | $30,378 | |
| Budget Item | WI Resident On Campus |
WI Resident Off Campus | WI Resident Living w/Parents |
Non-Resident On Campus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Costs | Tuition/Fees | $5794 | $5794 | $5794 | $14,126 |
| Housing/Food | $8090 | -- | -- | $8090 | |
| Subtotal | $13,884 | $5794 | $5794 | $22,216 | |
| Indirect Costs | Housing/Food | -- | $8350 | $3110 | -- |
| Supplies/Course Materials | $300 | $300 | $300 | $300 | |
| Transportation | $970 | $2340 | $2340 | $970 | |
| Miscellaneous Expenses | $2240 | $2240 | $2240 | $2240 | |
| Loan Fees* | $62 | $62 | $62 | $62 | |
| ESTIMATED COST OF ATTENDANCE | $17,456 | $19,086 | $13,846 | $25,788 | |
| Budget Item | WI Resident | Non-Resident | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Costs | Tuition/Fees | $10,544 | $21,604 |
| Indirect Costs | Housing/Food | $9740 | $9740 |
| Supplies/Course Materials | $1110 | $1110 | |
| Transportation | $970 | $970 | |
| Miscellaneous Expenses | $2240 | $2240 | |
| Loan Fees* | $148 | $148 | |
| ESTIMATED COST OF ATTENDANCE | $24,752 | $35,812 |
|
Explanation of Terms
Tuition/Fees: The average cost of tuition and fees for the typical student (includes textbook rental for undergraduate students) based on enrollment of 12 credits per semester for undergraduate students and 9 credits per semester for graduate students. Tuition costs vary based on enrollment status and residency status (WI, Non-Resident, Minnesota Reciprocity, Return to Wisconsin, Midwest Tuition Rate). Fees may vary based on individual courses. Tuition/fees are prorated for part-time enrollment.
Housing/Food: A reasonable cost for housing and food for the academic year. These costs vary by individual student choices. Housing is charged by the university for living in an on-campus residence hall and for food if the student has signed up for a UW-W meal plan. The on-campus housing/food allowance does not represent a specific residence hall and meal plan option: housing reflects the average residence hall cost and food estimates the cost of 21 meals per week (starting with 2023-2024). If living off campus and you do not purchase a meal plan, the estimated budget includes an allowance for housing/food based on averages in the area. Students living at home with their parents have a lower allowance for housing/food.
Supplies/Course Materials: The average cost of supplies, required course materials, and books for a typical student, excluding textbook rental which is included in the tuition/fees category for undergraduate students. While the majority of required undergraduate textbooks are available through the textbook rental program, some may need to be purchased, including novels, online access codes, lab manuals, or textbooks with constantly changing content. Graduate students must purchase all books. Supplies/course materials are prorated for part-time enrollment.
Transportation: An estimate of travel expenses for the typical student, such as traveling to and from home on breaks, local transportation costs, etc., while attending college.
Miscellaneous (Personal) Expenses: This is an estimate of costs for everyday living, including clothing, cell phone, reasonable entertainment, personal hygiene/self-care items, etc.
*Loan Fees: For those receiving Federal Direct Loan funds, the average loan fee charged for borrowers receiving similar types of loans, by undergraduates and graduate students, will be added to the estimated Cost of Attendance. Loan fees also will be added when a Federal Parent PLUS Loan or Federal Graduate PLUS Loan is received based on annual averages accrued as Parent or Graduate PLUS borrowers. Non-federal loan fees cannot be included per federal regulations.