Wisconsin football boasted an 89% graduation for the 2022-23 academic year, or for the 2016 student cohort.
The Badgers are tied for No. 10 among the 66-team list. As of this season, 68 schools will make up the Power Four this fall.
In addition to Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska, SMU, UCF and West Virginia also held an 89% college football graduation rate last year. Clemson, Boston College, Cincinnati, Northwestern and Wake Forest make up the top five — with each school at a 97% graduation rate or higher.
For reference, Big Ten rivals Penn State, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio State also post an 87% or higher. Washington, Iowa, Oregon, Rutgers, USC, Purdue, Maryland and USC all float at or above 64%.
Wisconsin’s 2022-23 graduation rate is nearly identical to its average of 89.6% from the past five years. That tally has increased since it sat near 70% in the mid-2010s.
College Football graduation rates by school since 2016 đđ pic.twitter.com/lt7iRfwnMc
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) July 26, 2024
In April, U.S. news ranked the University of Wisconsin-Madison as the Big Ten’s No. 5 school academically behind only USC, UCLA, Michigan and Northwestern. The publication had UW as the No. 35 overall university in the United States.
What’s more, Forbes’ recent list of ‘Public Ivies’ included Wisconsin. Michigan, Illinois and Maryland also made the cut.
Long story short, UW not only offers its attendees a fantastic athletic scene, but it also prioritizes its academics.