University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Admissions at University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh are broadly accessible, with an overall acceptance rate of 86.5% in 2025. This acceptance rate is higher than 65% of peer public national universities, reflecting relatively modest selectivity for prospective applicants. In terms of national standing on the U.S. News Best Colleges list, the university has seen minor fluctuations, shifting from 331 in 2023 to 352 in 2026. Once admitted, however, only a modest portion of candidates choose to enroll. The institution recorded a yield rate of 21.4% in 2025, which is higher than 53% of its peer public national universities. For high school students mapping out their college lists, these metrics show that securing an offer of admission is realistic for most qualified candidates, though the university competes with many alternatives when accepted students make their final enrollment decisions.

Applicants targeting University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh encounter standardized testing benchmarks that accommodate a broad range of preparation. Standardized testing has become far less prevalent across incoming classes, with only 30% of enrolled first-year students submitting ACT scores in 2025. For candidates who provide testing records, the middle 50% range for the composite ACT score spans from 18.0 to 25.0. Subject scores in English and Math display similarly moderate distributions across the middle half of the cohort. While admissions evaluations review an applicant's overall secondary school record, students presenting scores within or above this composite ACT range align comfortably with the university's admitted profile. These figures demonstrate that the university maintains an accessible threshold for prospective undergraduate applicants.

Undergraduate degree conferrals at University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh demonstrate noticeable concentration in professional vocations, especially in healthcare. In 2025, the university awarded 1,421 bachelor's degrees, with the top three majors accounting for 29.6% of all undergraduate completions. Registered Nursing forms the single largest academic track by a wide margin, graduating 274 students in 2025. This flagship field also aligns with the university's strongest national recognition, as the graduate Nurse Anesthesia program achieved a rank of 99 in 2026 on the U.S. News list, while the undergraduate nursing school placed at 135 in 2027. Outside of healthcare, popular majors such as General Psychology and Elementary Education attract steady enrollment but hold lower national visibility. Career outcomes reinforce nursing's dominance; based on 2023 earnings data, Registered Nursing alumni recorded the highest median earnings one year after graduation at $78,309. For incoming students, the institution delivers its most pronounced instructional scale and professional payoff within its health science programs.

Total enrollment at University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh reached 12,953 students in 2025, forming a student body dominated by domestic undergraduates. Within the incoming freshman class, White students constituted the vast majority of enrollees, while Asian students represented 5.2% of the cohort. International freshmen made up 38 students, representing 2.7% of entering first-years. Across continuing undergraduates, transfer students, and the graduate school, demographic patterns remain heavily local and regional, with Asian and international representation staying at modest single-digit percentages in every subgroup. Female students make up a majority across both the undergraduate and graduate divisions. For families considering the campus environment, these enrollment figures highlight an institution centered primarily on regional Midwestern students, where Asian and overseas scholars represent small, distinct minority communities.

The age structure at University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh highlights a sharp contrast between its undergraduate and graduate populations. In 2025, undergraduates under age 18 constituted the single largest demographic group at 38.3%, alongside students aged 18 to 19 who made up 24.1%. This heavy presence of very young students, often linked to dual-enrollment and regional high school partnerships, gives the broader undergraduate registry a distinct youth dynamic alongside standard college-age cohorts. Conversely, graduate programs cater almost entirely to working adults and career advancers, with students aged 25 to 29 representing the largest share at 26.4%. This clear separation indicates that daytime undergraduate activities revolve around younger learners, while graduate academic life accommodates older professionals balancing education with employment commitments.

International student presence at University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh is modest across all academic levels. In 2025, undergraduate international enrollment stood at 1.3%, a level higher than 23% of peer public national universities. While undergraduate numbers have grown gradually over the past decade, the graduate division has moved in the opposite direction, dropping to just 8 international students in 2025. This small representation directly impacts graduation statistics; international scholars accounted for only 0.4% of bachelor's degree recipients in 2025. Among popular undergraduate majors, international graduates are primarily found in fields like Finance, General Biology, and General Psychology, while large career programs like Registered Nursing and Elementary Education had no international graduates. For prospective overseas applicants, these patterns suggest an environment where international enrollment remains small, meaning students will navigate an overwhelmingly domestic university setting.

Applicants exploring colleges near University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh have several distinct options in eastern Wisconsin. Just 17.9 kilometers away in Appleton, Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college ranked 68 among national liberal arts colleges in the 2027 U.S. News rankings. Heading south along Lake Michigan, Concordia University-Wisconsin sits 62.1 kilometers away in Mequon and is ranked 299 among national universities. Slightly farther south in Milwaukee, located 73.6 kilometers from Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a large public institution ranked 288 among national universities. Also in Milwaukee, Marquette University is located 75 kilometers away and holds a rank of 90 among national universities.

Campus safety records at University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh demonstrate a measurable overall reduction in infractions, with the crime rate per 1,000 students falling to 7.9 in 2025. Disciplinary enforcement for substance use comprises the overwhelming majority of documented issues on campus. Over the three-year span from 2023 to 2025, the university recorded 1,301 disciplinary referrals for liquor violations and 94 disciplinary referrals for drug violations. Offenses involving physical violence or formal law enforcement arrests occurred at much lower volumes across those same years, with only a small number of alcohol arrests and sexual assault reports documented. For prospective students and their families evaluating daily campus life, these administrative statistics show that institutional safety efforts center predominantly on residence hall conduct and alcohol policy compliance rather than severe or violent criminal activity.