2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin
46
Colleges
$49,228
Avg Salary*
39%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
There are lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its Top Wisconsin Colleges ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
We analyzed 46 colleges and universities across Wisconsin to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as student-to-faculty ratio, average graduate earnings, and graduation rate.
See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!
Top Colleges in Wisconsin
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named University of Wisconsin - Madison the best school in Wisconsin in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree.Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 17,417 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from UW - Madison make an average of $65,213 a year.
Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Report
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Marquette University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Wisconsin. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 3,619 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Marquette make an average of $72,489 a year.
Full Marquette University Report
A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges in Wisconsin list means University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. UW - La Crosse is a fairly large public school situated in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It awarded 2,715 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $54,139 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Mount Mary University. The school came in at #4 in Wisconsin on this year’s overall quality ranking. Mount Mary is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 355 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Mount Mary make an average of $45,670 a year.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. The school came in at #5 in Wisconsin on this year’s overall quality ranking. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the fairly large public school handed out 3,021 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UW - Eau Claire make an average of $51,869 per year during the early years of their career.
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University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, the fairly large public school handed out 3,121 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $49,599 during the early years of their career..
Full University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Report
Chippewa Valley Technical College landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking. CVTC is a medium-sized public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 2,462 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from CVTC go into careers with an average salary of $41,876 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Chippewa Valley Technical College
Madison Area Technical College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking. Madison College is a fairly large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 3,411 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Madison College make an average of $42,003 a year.
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Gateway Technical College landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school handed out 2,549 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 7 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. During the early years of their career, graduates from Gateway Technical College make an average of $35,160 a year.
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Western Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking, coming in at #10. Western Technical College is a small public school situated in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It awarded 1,273 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $40,372 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on Western Technical College
University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking, coming in at #11.Menomonie, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,777 students in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from UW - Stout make an average of $52,278 a year.
Read full report on University of Wisconsin - Stout
University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking, coming in at #12. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized public school situated in River Falls, Wisconsin. It awarded 1,568 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UW - River Falls make an average of $47,441 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Wisconsin - River Falls
Northcentral Technical College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Wausau, Wisconsin, and it awarded 2,435 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from North Central Technical College is $38,447 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Northcentral Technical College
With a ranking of #14, Saint Norbert College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin list. SNC is located in De Pere, Wisconsin and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 540 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from SNC go into careers with an average salary of $52,468 during the early years of their career.
Full Saint Norbert College Report
Milwaukee School of Engineering did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking, coming in at #15. Milwaukee School of Engineering is a small private not-for-profit school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 650 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from MSOE go into careers with an average salary of $81,328 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Milwaukee School of Engineering
With a ranking of #16, Herzing University - Madison did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 862 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Herzing University - Madison is $33,093 during the early years of their career.
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University of Wisconsin - Platteville did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Platteville, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,840 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UW - Platteville make an average of $52,813 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Wisconsin - Platteville
Viterbo University landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking. Viterbo is a small private not-for-profit school situated in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It awarded 1,088 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Viterbo is $49,016 during the early years of their career.
Full Viterbo University Report
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the large public school handed out 6,303 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from UWM make an average of $50,707 a year.
Read full report on University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Carroll University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin ranking. Carroll University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Waukesha, Wisconsin that handed out 968 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Carroll U is $49,867 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Carroll University
With a ranking of #21, Fox Valley Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin list. FVTC is located in Appleton, Wisconsin and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,502 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from FVTC make an average of $41,102 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Fox Valley Technical College Report
With a ranking of #22, Alverno College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin list. Alverno is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 603 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $47,595 during the early years of their career..
Full Alverno College Report
Waukesha County Technical College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges in Wisconsin list. This medium-sized public school is located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 2,013 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $38,952 during the early years of their career..
Full Waukesha County Technical College Report
With a ranking of #24, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Wisconsin list. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is a fairly large public school located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin that handed out 2,682 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UW Oshkosh make an average of $48,569 per year during the early years of their career.
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Concordia University, Wisconsin ranked #25 on this year’s Best Colleges in Wisconsin list. Concordia University, Wisconsin is a private not-for-profit institution located in Mequon, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1,504 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University, Wisconsin is $48,626 during the early years of their career.
Full Concordia University, Wisconsin Report
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