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State profile · 85 colleges · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Colleges in Wisconsin

Colleges in Wisconsin from PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, compared on acceptance, cost, and 10-year former-student earnings.

85
Colleges
$45,154
Avg 10-yr earnings (78 of 85)
79.9%
Avg acceptance

Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

Wisconsin · the picture in one line

Wisconsin's 78 of 85 colleges that report earnings average $45,154 in 10-year former-student earnings - 19th highest of 56 states and territories that report.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

#19
of 56 states by avg former-student earnings
$89,070
top earnings - Milwaukee School of Engineering
79.9%
avg acceptance (37 reporting)
32 / 30 / 23
public / nonprofit / for-profit

Best earnings-to-cost value among Wisconsin colleges with reported figures: University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

Wisconsin · enrollment ≠ earnings

In Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Madison leads by undergraduate enrollment (36,902 students, #1 of 76) but ranks #4 of 76 on 10-year median earnings ($73,792), while Milwaukee School of Engineering tops earnings at $89,070 (#1 of 76) with 2,654 students (#24 of 76). The biggest campus is not always the highest-paying outcome.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

36,902
University of enrollment #1
$89,070
Milwaukee School earnings #1
#1
Enrollment rank of earnings leader
#4
Earnings rank of enrollment leader

Enrollment is IPEDS fall headcount; earnings are Scorecard 10-year medians for federally aided former students. Different populations, not one ROI ratio.

Enrollment of Wisconsin's #1 campuses by size vs earnings

Same unit (undergraduate students) for both named leaders.

students

What this shows University of Wisconsin-Madison is largest by enrollment; Milwaukee School of Engineering leads on 10-year earnings at $89,070.

Source IPEDS via College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

This page aggregates colleges and universities in Wisconsin returned by PlainCollege's U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard snapshot. It combines IPEDS-derived institutional fields with Treasury-derived earnings published for federal-aid recipients. Coverage includes public flagships, regional comprehensives, community and technical colleges, private nonprofit institutions, and for-profit schools.

The state-aggregate statistics below include all reporting institutions in Wisconsin as a single denominator, community colleges, public universities, private nonprofits, and for-profit institutions are pooled. State averages are therefore useful for high-level framing (in-state tuition is X, average admission rate is Y, average earnings are Z) but should not be read as representative of any specific sector or institution. Drill into individual school profiles for the full picture: admissions, costs (sticker and net), federal-aid usage, completion, retention, demographics, and earnings outcomes 6 and 10 years after enrollment.

The Scorecard data used here was retrieved in March–July 2026. That retrieval window is not the measurement year: tuition and enrollment fields retain their source reporting periods, while 10-year institution earnings describe federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, a decade after entry.

Largest Colleges in Wisconsin by Enrollment

IPEDS Fall enrollment via College Scorecard.

students

What this shows Enrollment size reflects institutional scale, not quality or on-campus experience - a large school here can still be a small, selective program relative to its state peers.

Source IPEDS As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Highest Earnings, 10-Year Median: Wisconsin

U.S. Treasury earnings linkage via College Scorecard.

USD

What this shows Former-student earnings vary by program mix and local labor market as much as by the school itself; this comparison does not isolate a school's causal effect.

Source College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

The ROI lens

Wisconsin colleges: earnings vs. cost

Wisconsin colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 14 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Wisconsin colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $35K $82K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $8K $33K Avg Net Price ($) University of Wisconsin-Madison: $74K earn · $17K net · 89% grad University of Wisc… University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: $55K earn · $15K net · 50% grad University of Wisc… Milwaukee Area Technical College: $41K earn · $9K net · 25% grad Milwaukee Area Tec… Madison Area Technical College: $45K earn · $14K net · 28% grad Madison Area Techn… University of Wisconsin-Whitewater: $55K earn · $14K net · 62% grad University of Wisc… University of Wisconsin-La Crosse: $60K earn · $16K net · 71% grad University of Wisc… University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire: $59K earn · $17K net · 66% grad Marquette University: $78K earn · $31K net · 82% grad University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point: $52K earn · $15K net · 53% grad University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh: $56K earn · $14K net · 51% grad University of Wisconsin-Green Bay: $53K earn · $13K net · 50% grad University of Wisconsin-Stout: $58K earn · $17K net · 54% grad University of Wisconsin-Platteville: $62K earn · $16K net · 58% grad Fox Valley Technical College: $46K earn · $11K net · 63% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

National context

How Wisconsin ranks among the states

Wisconsin's average 10-year earnings of $45,154 place it in the 68th percentile among all 56 states and territories tracked by the College Scorecard.

Wisconsin: average former-student earnings vs. every state

State-average 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$45,154 Top 32% higher than 68% of 56 states & territories

$24,000–$28,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $28,000–$32,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $32,000–$36,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $36,000–$40,000: 12 states & territories (21%). Below this entry. $40,000–$44,000: 14 states & territories (25%). Below this entry. $44,000–$48,000: 10 states & territories (18%). This entry sits in this band. $48,000–$52,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Above this entry. $52,000–$56,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. $56,000–$60,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. WI $24,000 $60,000 every state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $4K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Wisconsin vs. every state, at a glance
EarningsAffordabilityOptionsAccess

Each axis is this state's percentile among all states & territories on that metric (Earnings/Affordability/Options/Access) -- not a composite grade, just four independent comparisons in one shape.

School type matters

How school type shapes earnings in Wisconsin

Average 10-year former-student earnings by institution type. Program mix, selectivity, student background, and local labor markets all contribute to the observed gaps, so read this beside each school's own figures.

Average former-student earnings by school type - Wisconsin

Mean of per-school 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

avg earnings

What this shows Keeping schools within one state reduces some regional variation, but this descriptive comparison does not control for program mix, selection, or student background.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
85
Total Schools
$19,335
Avg In-State Tuition (54 of 85)
79.9%
Avg Acceptance Rate (37 of 85)
$45,154
Avg Median Earnings (78 of 85)
32 Public 30 Private NP 23 For-Profit
Ownership Breakdown

What the IPEDS Data Shows for Colleges in Wisconsin

PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset contains 85 postsecondary institutions in Wisconsin. The ownership mix is 32 public institutions, 30 private nonprofits, and 23 private for-profit schools. Public institutions often report lower in-state tuition because state appropriations subsidize the published price, while private nonprofits may show higher sticker prices partly offset by institutional aid.

Cost and selectivity signals vary widely even within a single state. The average in-state tuition among the 54 of 85 Wisconsin institutions that report one is $19,335, and the average admission rate among the 37 that report one sits at 79.9%. Admission rates from IPEDS exclude open-enrollment institutions, which is why community colleges and many for-profits show as unreported rather than at 100 percent. Looking at the table, the acceptance-rate column is blank for schools that don’t screen applicants, a meaningful distinction when evaluating selectivity alongside earnings.

Institution-level earnings connect cost to one observed outcome. Among the 78 of 85 Wisconsin colleges that report 10-year median earnings, federally aided former students show a mean of $45,154, based on Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard. Because earnings depend heavily on field of study, student background, and local labor markets, state-level averages should be read alongside each school’s program mix. The table sorts institutions with reported IPEDS enrollment so users can compare acceptance rates, enrollment scale, and median earnings side by side.

All Schools in Wisconsin

School Name City Type Enrollment Acceptance Rate 10yr Earnings
University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Public 36,902 45.2% $73,792
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee Public 16,758 90.7% $54,990
Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee Public 12,024 - $41,113
Madison Area Technical College Madison Public 10,073 - $45,413
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater Public 9,405 85.7% $55,356
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse La Crosse Public 9,277 75.5% $60,378
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Eau Claire Public 8,895 82.3% $58,561
Marquette University Milwaukee Private NP 7,660 81.3% $78,257
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point Public 7,306 91.8% $52,021
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh Public 6,877 86.5% $55,548
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Green Bay Public 6,341 88.6% $52,528
University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie Public 5,842 87.7% $58,084
University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville Public 5,837 89.4% $61,760
Fox Valley Technical College Appleton Public 5,825 - $45,684
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay Public 5,704 - $44,553
Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee Public 4,955 - $46,894
Gateway Technical College Kenosha Public 4,759 - $40,264
Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire Public 4,272 - $46,297
University of Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls Public 4,205 81.7% $54,458
Northcentral Technical College Wausau Public 3,257 - $44,925
Western Technical College La Crosse Public 3,183 - $45,303
University of Wisconsin-Parkside Kenosha Public 2,844 75.4% $51,129
Carthage College Kenosha Private NP 2,660 87.1% $56,950
Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee Private NP 2,654 58.9% $89,070
Carroll University Waukesha Private NP 2,523 66.8% $58,009
Herzing University-Madison Madison Private NP 2,494 94.3% $36,909
Blackhawk Technical College Janesville Public 2,488 - $41,620
Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac Public 2,464 - $44,371
Mid-State Technical College Wisconsin Rapids Public 2,288 - $42,253
Concordia University-Wisconsin Mequon Private NP 2,197 78.2% $56,075
Northwood Technical College Rice Lake Public 2,149 - $43,406
Lakeshore Technical College Cleveland Public 1,886 - $47,113
University of Wisconsin-Superior Superior Public 1,807 93.0% $49,606
Saint Norbert College De Pere Private NP 1,662 85.7% $58,363
Lawrence University Appleton Private NP 1,396 63.9% $55,789
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore Public 1,313 - $43,470
Viterbo University La Crosse Private NP 1,249 72.4% $55,660
Lakeland University Plymouth Private NP 1,212 86.3% $55,961
Edgewood University Madison Private NP 1,107 75.7% $59,728
Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa Wauwatosa Private NP 1,037 - $32,568
Marian University Fond Du Lac Private NP 1,010 75.0% $53,501
Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee Private NP 943 78.2% $54,664
Beloit College Beloit Private NP 926 63.0% $53,260
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Milwaukee Private NP 837 60.5% $41,174
Ripon College Ripon Private NP 688 79.8% $54,902
Nicolet Area Technical College Rhinelander Public 663 - $38,643
Alverno College Milwaukee Private NP 631 85.7% $53,145
Mount Mary University Milwaukee Private NP 631 62.3% $48,745
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Flex Milwaukee Public 543 100.0% $54,990
Maranatha Baptist University Watertown Private NP 541 71.9% $45,593
Herzing University-Kenosha Kenosha Private NP 522 92.0% $36,909
Herzing University-Brookfield Brookfield Private NP 380 93.1% $36,909
Bellin College Green Bay Private NP 372 97.2% $76,222
College of Menominee Nation Keshena Private NP 258 - $25,853
The Institute of Beauty and Wellness Milwaukee For-Profit 186 - $31,723
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University Hayward Public 176 - $24,302
University of Wisconsin-Parkside Flex Kenosha Public 172 - $51,129
Paul Mitchell the School-Milwaukee Wauwatosa For-Profit 140 - $25,122
The Salon Professional Academy-Kenosha Kenosha For-Profit 130 - $24,941
Empire Beauty School-Milwaukee Milwaukee For-Profit 111 - $23,589
VICI Beauty School Greenfield For-Profit 109 - $32,393
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Janesville Janesville For-Profit 102 - $23,149
Empire Beauty School-Green Bay Ashwaubenon For-Profit 100 - $23,589
First Class Cosmetology School Beloit For-Profit 92 - $26,792
The Institute of Beauty and Wellness Madison Madison For-Profit 88 - $31,723
The Salon Professional Academy-Appleton Appleton For-Profit 81 - $32,317
East-West Healing Arts Institute Madison For-Profit 72 - -
Milwaukee Career College Milwaukee For-Profit 67 72.9% $28,355
The Salon Professional Academy-Onalaska Onalaska For-Profit 67 - $30,744
Academy of Beauty Professionals Green Bay For-Profit 64 - $25,117
The Professional Hair Design Academy Eau Claire For-Profit 60 - $29,587
State College of Beauty Culture Wausau For-Profit 57 - $28,037
Rasmussen University-Wisconsin Green Bay For-Profit 55 - $39,080
Academy of Beauty Professionals Madison For-Profit 53 - $25,117
Ottawa University-Milwaukee Brookfield Private NP 41 - $55,552
Academy of Beauty Professionals Appleton For-Profit 37 - $25,117
Advanced College of Cosmetology Waupun For-Profit 24 - -
Midwest College of Oriental Medicine-Racine Racine For-Profit 1 - $44,136
Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee Private NP - - -
Nashotah House Nashotah Private NP - - -
Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology Franklin Private NP - - -
Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology Milwaukee Private NP - - -
Rasmussen University-Wausau Wausau For-Profit - - $39,080
Bryant & Stratton College-Racine Mount Pleasant Private NP - - $32,568
East-West Healing Arts Institute - Milwaukee Shorewood For-Profit - - -

Featured Colleges in Wisconsin

Quick picks from this state – compare two schools side by side

University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
36,902 students
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI
16,758 students
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Milwaukee, WI
12,024 students
Madison Area Technical College
Madison, WI
10,073 students
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI
9,405 students
Compare University of Wisconsin-Madison vs University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee →

Explore more Wisconsin data

Highest-earning colleges → Best value colleges → ROI calculator → Compare states →

Guides & Resources

Is College Worth It?

A data-driven answer using earnings and cost data.

How to Compare Colleges

A framework for picking schools with data, not rankings alone.

Financial Aid & Net Price

How net price differs from sticker price and financial aid.

Understanding College Earnings Data

How Scorecard earnings figures are measured and their limits.

About This Data

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, PlainCollege's current snapshots were retrieved in March–July 2026. This state's institution-level figures come from the July retrieval, including IPEDS-derived characteristics. Earnings represent median income 10 years after enrollment for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, using U.S. Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for Wisconsin applicants

  • Wisconsin has 85 colleges in PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, spanning community colleges, public flagships, and private institutions.
  • Average reported admission rate across Wisconsin colleges is 79.9% - individual schools vary widely, check each profile for its own rate.
  • State-level averages pool every reporting institution together; run a specific school's numbers before assuming the state figure applies to it.Use the ROI calculator

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or educational advice. State-level averages pool every reporting institution and do not predict any individual school's outcome.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. State-level rollups are computed directly from College Scorecard and IPEDS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.