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. In 2022, 312 students graduated with students earning 312 Bachelor's degrees.

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Beloit College
Beloit, WI

Beloit College offers 59 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 199 students graduated with students earning 199 Bachelor's degrees.

Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI

Marquette University offers 204 degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 3,251 students graduated with students earning 1,964 Bachelor's degrees, 837 Master's degrees, 414 Doctoral degrees, and 36 Certificates.

Saint Norbert College
De Pere, WI

Saint Norbert College offers 74 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize suburb. In 2022, 510 students graduated with students earning 489 Bachelor's degrees, 20 Master's degrees, and 1 Certificate.

Milwaukee School of Engineering offers 29 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 660 students graduated with students earning 555 Bachelor's degrees, 86 Master's degrees, and 19 Certificates.

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse offers 86 degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 2,381 students graduated with students earning 1,971 Bachelor's degrees, 332 Master's degrees, 53 Doctoral degrees, 19 Associate's degrees, and 6 Certificates.

Northland College
Ashland, WI

Northland College offers 34 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a remote town. In 2022, 100 students graduated with students earning 100 Bachelor's degrees.

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 177 students graduated with students earning 177 Bachelor's degrees.

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire offers 120 degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 2,385 students graduated with students earning 2,127 Bachelor's degrees, 177 Master's degrees, 37 Associate's degrees, 28 Doctoral degrees, and 16 Certificates.

Best Community Colleges in Wisconsin

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. In 2022, 65 students graduated with students earning 42 Certificates, and 23 Associate's degrees.

Gateway Technical College offers 128 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a midsize suburb. In 2022, 923 students graduated with students earning 652 Associate's degrees, and 271 Certificates.

Northwood Technical College offers 96 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a faraway rural area. In 2022, 758 students graduated with students earning 421 Certificates, and 337 Associate's degrees.

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College offers 77 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a faraway rural area. In 2022, 422 students graduated with students earning 220 Associate's degrees, and 202 Certificates.

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College offers 169 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2022, 1,676 students graduated with students earning 936 Associate's degrees, and 740 Certificates.

Moraine Park Technical College offers 95 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a small city. In 2022, 768 students graduated with students earning 432 Associate's degrees, and 336 Certificates.

Lakeshore Technical College offers 92 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a faraway rural area. In 2022, 503 students graduated with students earning 269 Associate's degrees, and 234 Certificates.

Fox Valley Technical College offers 172 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a midsize suburb. In 2022, 1,644 students graduated with students earning 967 Associate's degrees, and 677 Certificates.

Mid-State Technical College
Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Mid-State Technical College offers 93 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a outlying rural area. In 2022, 427 students graduated with students earning 239 Associate's degrees, and 188 Certificates.

Waukesha County Technical College offers 102 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 1,015 students graduated with students earning 620 Associate's degrees, and 395 Certificates.

Find local colleges in Wisconsin

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
21 : 1 48,956
Lawrence University Logo Lawrence University Appleton, WI
5/5
8 : 1 1,426
Beloit College Logo Beloit College Beloit, WI
5/5
11 : 1 964
Marquette University Logo Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
5/5
17 : 1 11,167
Saint Norbert College Logo Saint Norbert College De Pere, WI
5/5
13 : 1 1,882