Outdoor access
highThe river and bluffs provide immediate recreation.
COLLEGE FIT GUIDE
Evidence checked · 2026-10-06
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
UW–La Crosse is a regional public university with notable strengths in health, exercise science, education, business, biology, and recreation. The Mississippi River and surrounding bluffs shape an active campus culture and field-learning opportunities.
- Health and active learning on the Mississippi
- Academic choices and structure
- Separate institutional opportunity from individual access
QUICK READ
- Location
- La Crosse, Wisconsin · Small-city river setting
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 9,277
- Aggregate admission rate
- 75.5%
- Average net price
- $16,210
FIT SNAPSHOT
How this environment may feel
These are directional interpretations of the college environment, not a score or universal verdict.
Career orientation
highHealth and education programs create pathways.
Learning by doing
highClinical and fieldwork connect learning with practice.
Community closeness
neutralManageable scale and a smaller city support cohesion.
WHY IT MAY FIT
Consider University of Wisconsin-La Crosse if…
- You want health, exercise science, or education.
- You want an active outdoor culture.
- You want a manageable public university.
- You want a riverfront small city.
POSSIBLE TENSIONS
It may not fit if…
- You do not want a major city.
- You do not want a large research flagship.
- You do not want a warm climate.
- You do not want limited interest in outdoor activity.
WHAT STANDS OUT
The environment behind the name
Health and active learning on the Mississippi
Clinical experiences, research, fieldwork, internships, and community partnerships connect programs with the region.
Source: Undergraduate Research
Academic choices and structure
Broad professional and liberal programs operate at a manageable undergraduate scale.
Source: Academics
A setting that shapes the experience
La Crosse, Wisconsin gives students a distinct context for campus life, work, community, and recreation.
Source: Undergraduate Research
LOOK CLOSER
Questions worth asking before you decide
Use these prompts during a visit, an information session, or a conversation with a current student.
- 1
Separate institutional opportunity from individual access
UW–La Crosse documents substantial opportunities, but availability can differ by program, timing, prerequisites, capacity, and student initiative.
Source: Undergraduate Research
- 2
Interpret scale and selectivity carefully
Federal data report 9,277 undergraduates and an aggregate admission rate of 75.5%. These figures describe the institution, not an individual applicant’s probability or a particular program’s experience.
Source: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse institutional data
- 3
Use the current price for your circumstances
Federal data report an average net price of $16,210. This historical average is not a quote; residency, income, housing, aid eligibility, and program costs can materially change what a family pays.
Source: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse institutional data
FEDERAL CLERY DATA
Campus safety statistics, with context
Federal Clery records describe reported incidents within defined campus geography. They are not a measure of crime prevalence or an overall safety rating.
2024 reported on-campus offenses:12
Per 1,000 enrolled:1.1
Reporting campuses:1
COMPARE THE TRADEOFFS
Schools that sharpen the question
A useful comparison for students evaluating UW–La Crosse across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
A useful comparison for students evaluating UW–La Crosse across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
A useful comparison for students evaluating UW–La Crosse across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
EVIDENCE
Sources and method
View the reviewed sources
- Undergraduate Research - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (official, retrieved 2026-10-06)
- Academics - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (official, retrieved 2026-10-06)
- University of Wisconsin-La Crosse institutional data - U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (federal, retrieved 2026-10-06)
Navastra interprets UW–La Crosse’s documented academic environment, setting, opportunities, and federal reference fields through preference dimensions. The page describes documented structures, not every student’s experience. It does not calculate an individual fit score, predict admission, or estimate a financial-aid award. Read the methodology →
Programs, policies, costs, and campus life change. Verify current details with the college ↗
PERSONALIZE THE QUESTION