The university supports more than 287,000 jobs and helps drive private-sector growth
MADISON, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin–Madison’s core mission has long held that the work of the university should benefit the entire state. A newly released study now quantifies that commitment, estimating that the university, its affiliated organizations and the startup companies it generates contribute $38.9 billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy.
With more than 287,000 jobs supported statewide, the broader UW–Madison enterprise ranks among Wisconsin’s largest employers. The study, conducted by Tripp Umbach, finds that one in every 11 jobs in the state is sustained by the university, placing it alongside major industries such as dairy, food processing and tourism as a key economic driver for Wisconsin.
UW–Madison, together with its affiliates and business spin-offs, generates $1.94 billion in state and local taxes collected each year, accounting for $1 of every $12.70 collected statewide. The study also underscores the return on public investment: UW–Madison generates $21.66 in economic activity for every dollar invested.
“At UW–Madison, we measure success not only by what we accomplish on campus, but by how our work strengthens communities across Wisconsin,” says Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin. “This report shows how the Wisconsin Idea continues to build the state’s future through research that drives innovation, graduates who strengthen our workforce, and partnerships that help communities thrive.”
Research and innovation fuel economic growth
UW–Madison’s research enterprise has long been nationally recognized, and at home that impact is even more notable. The university’s research generates $3.0 billion in statewide economic activity and has spurred more than 400 companies that have translated ideas into real-world products. These startup companies launched from UW–Madison research support 88,571 jobs, strengthening some of Wisconsin’s fastest-growing industries, including biotechnology, health care, advanced manufacturing and energy.
One such example is Wisconsin-based Realta Fusion. The UW–Madison spin-off focuses on commercializing fusion as a potential energy source. UW–Madison has been a leader in fusion research since the 1960s, and companies like Realta are working to translate that research into technology that can be used as an additional industrial energy source to power our nation’s businesses.
“UW–Madison doesn’t just do research,” said Maggie Brickerman, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. “It generates new companies that fuel the state’s innovation economy. The discoveries made on campus feed a pipeline of startups that create jobs, import capital, build new industries and move Wisconsin’s core sectors forward.”
Affiliated organizations add to the statewide footprint
At the heart of UW–Madison are its people—those who are directly connected to the university as well as the Wisconsin residents it serves.
UW–Madison graduates help power the workforce behind many of Wisconsin’s key industries. As of last fiscal year, 185,487 alumni were living in the state. While alumni work across a variety of sectors, the study showcased the university’s particular strength in supporting both Wisconsin’s healthcare and agricultural workforce.
As the state’s largest producer of physicians and a major educator of nurses, pharmacists and veterinarians, UW–Madison is actively solving Wisconsin’s healthcare shortages. And the collaboration between researchers in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and local farmers helps meaningful solutions move quickly from the lab to the field to improve agricultural productivity and profitability.
UW–Madison Division of Extension’s presence is also felt across the state, with more than 1,500 staff embedded in communities in each one of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. The support Extension provides farmers, businesses and local governments enhances local economies, and programs like 4-H, Master Naturalists and applied training further strengthen the workforce pipeline by providing career opportunities to both youth and adult learners.
“The economic impact of UW–Madison is felt in every corner of our state. The university is an incredible partner with our counties and our communities,” says WCA President & CEO Mark D. O’Connell. “For Wisconsin to thrive, grow and succeed both today and in the future, we must work diligently across all areas of academics, outreach and research. We are proud to work alongside UW–Madison to shape a successful state and create opportunity for people we will never meet and generations we will never see.”
Continuing the tradition of public service
Beyond its economic impact, UW–Madison provides major statewide community benefits through volunteerism, philanthropy and public service driven by faculty, staff and students. In FY25, these efforts generated $156 million in impact, including $38.9 million in donations and $117.1 million in volunteer time.
Public service has been a longstanding guiding value of the university, one that continues to echo through community engagement programs that help address a variety of needs across Wisconsin, including legal assistance services, public health education, rural health access, small business guidance and more.
From workforce development to community service, the findings illustrate the role of UW–Madison as a major statewide economic engine that drives private-sector growth, expands the state’s tax base and delivers measurable returns on public investment throughout Wisconsin.
“This kind of impact is never accidental. It reflects an intentional, longstanding partnership between the state’s commitment to a strong public university, federal investment in basic research that lays the foundation for future breakthroughs, and UW–Madison’s mission to ensure those discoveries benefit communities throughout the state, nation and world,” said Vice Chancellor for University Relations Craig Thompson.
Learn more about UW–Madison’s statewide economic impact and read the full report at budget.wisc.edu/economic-impact.
