Tuition & Aid
An Investment That Sets You Apart
Expand your career potential. This one-year, affordable master’s program gives you the skills you need to lead in the arts, creative, and social sectors. You will be the strategic leader the arts and nonprofit worlds need by blending creativity and business.
Tuition & fees
The one-year program includes 30 credits from nine required courses and two elective courses. The following costs apply to the 2024-25 academic year.
| Item | Resident tuition | Non-resident tuition[1] |
|---|---|---|
| Credits | 30 | 30 |
| Tuition[2] | $27,764.80 | $51,413.28 |
| Segregated fees[3] | $1,596.62 | $1,596.62 |
| Estimated yearly total | $29,361.42 | $53,009.90 |
- Minnesota residents may be eligible for reduced tuition as participants in the Minnesota–Wisconsin reciprocity agreement. See details below.
- Tuition rates vary from year to year, and are determined by the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, based on budgets approved by the Wisconsin governor and Legislature. Tuition is reviewed and set annually in August. For more information about tuition rates, please visit the Bursar’s Office website.
- Segregated fees are charges, in addition to tuition, assessed to all students for student services, activities, programs, and facilities that support the mission of Universities of Wisconsin institutions, including the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The segregated fee rate is updated each summer.
Tuition is listed at the full-time rate for two academic semesters. Summer tuition and any additional credits taken are subject to a per credit cost.
Estimated expenses
| Item | Estimated expenses[1] |
|---|---|
| Books and supplies | $1,100 |
| Room and board | $15,928 |
| Miscellaneous | $6,012 |
| Computer[2] | $1,500 |
- Estimated expenses are provided by UW–Madison’s Office of Student Financial Aid. The miscellaneous amount includes an allowance for health insurance, separate from your general health care costs. Individual plan cost may vary.
- Estimated one-time cost if the student purchases a new computer. See computer requirements below for details.
Scholarships Available
The Bolz Center for Arts Administration offers significant financial support for students in the Master of Arts-Business: Arts and Creative Enterprise Leadership Program to offset the cost of tuition. All students admitted to the program are eligible to receive up to $10,000 of scholarship support.
Merit-Based Financial Aid
Merit aid further reduces your cost. Generous financial support from our alumni and friends enables the Wisconsin School of Business to award several types of merit-based aid each year.
When you apply, you are automatically considered for merit aid. Awards are based on a holistic review of your application strength. We do our best to consider all of your qualifications so you can optimize the aid available to you.
For the best consideration for financial aid, please apply by the priority deadline.
Federal Student Aid
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) using UW–Madison’s school code, 003895. Only U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens may apply.
Though there is no official deadline for applying for financial aid, students are encouraged to apply for financial aid at the same time you complete your program application to avoid any delay in disbursement of those funds.
Please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid with any questions.
Additional Details About Costs
Wisconsin residency for tuition purposes is determined prior to enrollment and remains constant for the duration of your program. More information is available from the Office of the Registrar. Answers to commonly asked questions can also be found on their website.
Minnesota residents may be eligible for reduced tuition as participants in the Minnesota–Wisconsin reciprocity agreement. Students certified under this agreement, although classified as non-residents, are assessed the comparable instructional fees in effect at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus, plus the segregated fees assessed to all UW–Madison graduate students. Contact the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office for a reciprocity application.
The Wisconsin School of Business requires all graduate students to have access to their own personal computers, which should be equipped with the Windows Operating System and appropriate software. To meet this requirement, all graduate students who apply and qualify for financial aid based on their FAFSA application automatically have an additional $1,500 included in their cost of attendance calculation to allow for the purchase of a computer. Computer hardware and software specifications are included in the newly admitted student guide.
As a UW–Madison student, you have the option to purchase health insurance through University Health Services. There are plans for student only, student plus one, and student plus family. International students are required to purchase health insurance through the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). Other options for U.S. citizens and permanent residents would be through the health insurance marketplace. Costs vary based on plan.
The UW–Madison Student Job Center lists part-time, limited-term employment (LTE), graduate assistant, and summer job openings at the UW–Madison and in the private and public sectors. Many students work part time to help offset the costs of their graduate education.
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