State Rankings

Best Colleges in Wisconsin

Top colleges in Wisconsin ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 50

Avg grad earnings: $51,857

Public / Private: 30 / 20

Top Colleges in Wisconsin

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #	School	Type	Grad Earnings	Admit Rate	SAT Avg	Grad Rate	Out-of-State
1	University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison#39 national	Public	$73,792	43.4%	1,402	89.3%	$40,603
2	Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee#133 national	Private	$89,070	60.4%	N/A	71.5%	$48,421
3	Lawrence University Appleton#233 national	Private	$55,789	63.0%	1,349	76.4%	$55,461
4	University of Wisconsin-La Crosse La Crosse#256 national	Public	$60,378	73.3%	1,190	71.2%	$18,691
5	Marquette University Milwaukee#318 national	Private	$78,257	87.4%	1,306	80.1%	$48,700
6	University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Eau Claire#360 national	Public	$58,561	76.1%	1,190	67.6%	$18,516
7	Carroll University Waukesha#374 national	Private	$58,009	58.4%	1,209	69.6%	$37,230
8	University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville#471 national	Public	$61,760	87.3%	1,190	61.5%	$17,274
9	Saint Norbert College De Pere#474 national	Private	$58,363	92.2%	1,143	73.6%	$44,432
10	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater#506 national	Public	$55,356	82.8%	1,090	64.3%	$17,916
11	Concordia University-Wisconsin Mequon#560 national	Private	$56,075	67.5%	1,250	64.3%	$34,250
12	Carthage College Kenosha#657 national	Private	$56,950	84.2%	1,113	60.5%	$36,500
13	Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee#658 national	Private	$54,664	79.0%	1,214	62.7%	$35,080
14	University of Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls#664 national	Public	$54,458	81.6%	1,120	60.9%	$16,887
15	Viterbo University La Crosse#704 national	Private	$55,660	73.3%	1,184	65.2%	$32,350
16	Beloit College Beloit#710 national	Private	$53,260	57.4%	1,318	67.2%	$58,554
17	Edgewood College Madison#730 national	Private	$59,728	94.5%	N/A	67.4%	$34,850
18	University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh#749 national	Public	$55,548	86.7%	1,090	57.9%	$16,125
19	Ripon College Ripon#796 national	Private	$54,902	83.9%	1,143	59.9%	$50,700
20	University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie#822 national	Public	$58,084	84.7%	1,150	52.5%	$18,706
21	Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee#838 national	Public	$46,894	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,996
22	Lakeshore Technical College Cleveland#842 national	Public	$47,113	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,842
23	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Flex Milwaukee#871 national	Public	$54,990	92.3%	N/A	N/A	N/A
24	University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point#943 national	Public	$52,021	90.1%	1,120	56.0%	$17,854
25	Fox Valley Technical College Appleton#962 national	Public	$45,684	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,109
26	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee#996 national	Public	$54,990	88.4%	1,090	51.2%	$22,020
27	Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire#1018 national	Public	$46,297	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,917
28	Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac#1053 national	Public	$44,371	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,917
29	University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Green Bay#1059 national	Public	$52,528	87.8%	1,090	53.1%	$16,929
30	Northcentral Technical College Wausau#1069 national	Public	$44,925	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,615
31	Northwood Technical College Rice Lake#1070 national	Public	$43,406	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,583
32	Western Technical College La Crosse#1084 national	Public	$45,303	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,909
33	Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore#1122 national	Public	$43,470	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,989
34	Maranatha Baptist University Watertown#1135 national	Private	$45,593	70.9%	1,141	65.7%	$20,280
35	Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay#1151 national	Public	$44,553	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,097
36	Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee#1171 national	Public	$41,113	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,210
37	Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Milwaukee#1178 national	Private	$41,174	62.8%	1,040	63.3%	$42,268
38	University of Wisconsin-Parkside Kenosha#1208 national	Public	$51,129	72.6%	1,090	39.8%	$16,497
39	Lakeland University Plymouth#1215 national	Private	$55,961	91.1%	N/A	55.8%	$32,286
40	Gateway Technical College Kenosha#1230 national	Public	$40,264	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,046
41	Mid-State Technical College Wisconsin Rapids#1232 national	Public	$42,253	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,016
42	Alverno College Milwaukee#1251 national	Private	$53,145	93.1%	N/A	50.5%	$32,794
43	Blackhawk Technical College Janesville#1356 national	Public	$41,620	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,927
44	Mount Mary University Milwaukee#1569 national	Private	$48,745	93.3%	1,050	58.9%	$34,390
45	Marian University Fond Du Lac#1612 national	Private	$53,501	66.8%	N/A	41.2%	$33,000
46	Nicolet Area Technical College Rhinelander#1707 national	Public	$38,643	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,917
47	University of Wisconsin-Superior Superior#1868 national	Public	$49,606	93.6%	1,050	44.1%	$16,400
48	Madison Area Technical College Madison#1948 national	Public	$45,413	N/A	N/A	26.3%	$7,027
49	Herzing University-Kenosha Kenosha#2359 national	Private	$36,909	89.4%	N/A	50.0%	$13,420
50	Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa Wauwatosa#2599 national	Private	$32,568	N/A	N/A	23.5%	$19,944

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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