College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Colleges in Wisconsin
Up north in the Badger State, many schools offer incredible value for the cost of their college educations. They also enjoy close proximity to a number of vibrant, cosmopolitan cities, two Great Lakes, thousands of smaller inland lakes and huge expanses of pristine, natural wilderness. Given the state’s reputation as America’s Dairyland, those who attend school here also enjoy easy access to some of the best cheeses and other dairy products in the world. Whether you’d like to attend school in Wisconsin because of its high college ROI or simply because you enjoy eating lots of cheese, consider using Payscale’s data to determine the best value colleges in Wisconsin before you apply.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: Milwaukee School of Engineering (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$770,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$234,000 | Graduation Rate:71% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$29,900 |
| Rank:2 | School Name: - Platteville Campus_50px.png) University of Wisconsin-Platteville (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$584,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$80,300 | Graduation Rate:61% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$26,100 |
| Rank:3 | School Name: - Madison_50px.png) University of Wisconsin-Madison (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$575,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$109,000 | Graduation Rate:89% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$37,200 |
| Rank:4 | School Name:University of Wisconsin-Platteville (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$550,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$114,000 | Graduation Rate:61% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$26,100 |
| Rank:5 | School Name: Marquette University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$516,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$251,000 | Graduation Rate:83% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$36,200 |
| Rank:6 | School Name:University of Wisconsin-Madison (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$463,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$221,000 | Graduation Rate:89% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$37,200 |
| Rank:7 | School Name: - Eau Claire_50px.png) University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$459,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$84,800 | Graduation Rate:65% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$29,400 |
| Rank:8 | School Name:University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$426,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$118,000 | Graduation Rate:65% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$29,400 |
| Rank:9 | School Name: - Stout Campus_50px.png) University of Wisconsin-Stout (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$418,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$83,400 | Graduation Rate:52% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$30,700 |
| Rank:10 | School Name: - Milwaukee_50px.jpg) University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$400,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$98,100 | Graduation Rate:48% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$29,800 |
The Milwaukee School of Engineering is a yearly contender in terms of the best value colleges in the state of Wisconsin. Unlike most colleges that top our list, MSOE is a private not-for-profit college with an enrollment of only around 2,500 graduate and undergraduate students. MSOE is located on 22 acres of downtown Milwaukee.
In the category of public colleges, a good bet is the University of Wisconsin Platteville campus. Of course, Platteville isn’t the only campus of the University of Wisconsin, but it is usually the campus with the highest ROI. Other UW campuses include UW Madison, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Stout, Milwaukee, Whitewater, Parkside and the Oshkosh campus.
One of the more well-known colleges in Wisconsin is Marquette University. Marquette is a private college, also located in Milwaukee, with an enrollment of about 11,000 students. Unlike most colleges in Wisconsin, most students finish their degrees within four years at Marquette.
In addition to having as much cheese within your reach as you could ever want, the state of Wisconsin offers a diverse character that makes so many Wisconsinites happy to call this place home. Heritage is very important in this state, as evident by the many festivals and attractions put on throughout the year. During the summer, Wisconsin students from all over come together to enjoy things like Summerfest, Oktoberfest, Polish Fest, Cheese Days, and Irish Fest. Did we mention there is a festival completely dedicated to cheese?
If cheese doesn’t tickle your fancy, perhaps consider the fact that Wisconsin is home to some pretty amazing sport teams. In the fall, students can enjoy watching the Green Bay Packers at historic Lambeau Field. Not into football? The Milwaukee Brewers baseball team is sure to entertain. The landscape of Wisconsin also allows for many recreational activities in the winter months, including lots of cross-country skiing and even snowmobile derbies.
More rankings for best-value colleges:
Put a badge on it
Did your school rank well in one or more of the categories of the 2024 Payscale College ROI Report? You can easily share that good news with the world by placing a College ROI Report badge on your website.
EMBED CODE:
College salary report
Get up-to-date information on which colleges, degrees, and majors pay the most with breakouts for bachelor's degrees and associate's degrees by state and by type as well as common jobs by major with mid-career median pay.
Go to the report
The impact of a college degree on compensation
Learn how a bachelor’s degree affects salaries and which jobs see the most differentiation and get thought leadership and HR industry insights on how to manage graduate pay premiums and prepare for skills-based pay.
Go to the report