Best colleges in Wisconsin

Join the Cheeseheads

College, camping, and colorful seasons

Wisconsin is where people live when they’re ready to experience a colorful autumn, some of the best cheese around, and of course a quality college education. There are 85 colleges in the state of Wisconsin, including a public university system, private colleges, and a few medical schools.* Popular majors in Wisconsin include psychology, mechanical engineering and various liberal arts studies. Grads get jobs quickly with a low unemployment rate and go on to work at impressive places like Astronautics Corporation of America, GE Healthcare, and Plexus Corp.*

During your off hours, there are plenty of things happening all around the state. World-class fishing, hiking to caves and waterfalls, and camping out under the stars are all popular activities that make Wisconsin a coveted state for nature lovers. Of course, sometimes you want to just kick back and relax indoors. Check out O’Davey’s Pub in Fond du Lac for their signature Bloody Mary. What makes it unique? The optional garnishes include a soft pretzel and a bag of popcorn or a cheeseburger!* And when you get sports fever, head out to Lambeau Field to freeze your bum off tailgating for Aaron Rodgers and the fan-owned Green Bay Packers. However you choose to pursue an education and enjoy your down time, Wisconsin is a state overflowing with natural beauty and plenty of man-made fun.

Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the US*Bureau of Labor Statistics *Wikipedia, “Colleges and universities in Wisconsin”, “Companies based in Wisconsin” *www.travelwisconsin.com

Best Four Year Universities in Wisconsin

Image by @jenstarr4

The University of Wisconsin was founded in 1848 in Madison, Wisconsin and currently covers more than 10,000 acres along Lake Mendota. This university was the first in the University of Wisconsin System and offers over 130 academic departments for approximately 30,000 undergraduate students. The University of Wisconsin operates on a semester-based academic calendar with highly productive academic research institutes that specialize in a range of medical, pharmaceutical, and environmental studies. The graduation rate at UW is 84.8% and the school commands a student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1, which is much lower than is typical for a flagship state institution. 

Outside of Madison, the Wisconsin State Universities System operates smaller campuses in Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Parkside, which have higher acceptance rates and condensed class sizes. Prospective students should note that Wisconsin residents receive in-state tuition at a much lower rate than applicants from out-of-state. Lower tuition rates extend to students from Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota. 

UW has a robust funding network that includes entities like the National Institutes of Health and General Motors, making it one of the top research universities in the midwest. UW athletic teams are represented by their campus mascot, Bucky Badger. They compete in the BIG10 and play home games at the famous Camp Randall Stadium. Notable alumni include pioneer of flight Charles Lindbergh, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and naturalist John Muir.

Lawrence University
Appleton, WI

Lawrence University offers 45 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city.

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Beloit College
Beloit, WI

Beloit College offers 54 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city.

Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI

Marquette University offers 205 degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city.

Saint Norbert College
De Pere, WI

Saint Norbert College offers 72 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize suburb.

Milwaukee School of Engineering offers 33 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city.

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse offers 85 degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small city.

Carroll University
Waukesha, WI

Carroll University offers 70 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city.

Maranatha Baptist University offers 86 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a outlying town.

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design offers 7 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city.

Best Community Colleges in Wisconsin

VICI Beauty School
Greenfield, WI

VICI Beauty School offers 2 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb.

The Salon Professional Academy-Onalaska offers 3 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a small city.

The Salon Professional Academy-Appleton offers 2 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a midsize suburb.

The Professional Hair Design Academy offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a midsize suburb.

Milwaukee Career College
Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Career College offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb.

Fox Valley Technical College offers 169 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a midsize suburb.

Moraine Park Technical College offers 107 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a small city.

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College offers 81 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a remote rural area.

Northwood Technical College offers 89 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a remote town.

Gateway Technical College offers 141 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a small city.

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List of all colleges in Wisconsin

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
University of Wisconsin-Madison Logo University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI
3/5
20 : 1 51,044
Lawrence University Logo Lawrence University Appleton, WI
5/5
8 : 1 1,417
Beloit College Logo Beloit College Beloit, WI
5/5
13 : 1 1,004
Marquette University Logo Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
5/5
17 : 1 11,746
Saint Norbert College Logo Saint Norbert College De Pere, WI
5/5
20 : 1 2,032