2023 best colleges in Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin public university network is one of the finest in the Midwest and many students, particularly from the northern suburbs of Chicago, take advantage of the Midwest student exchange program tuition discounts. Not only is it a shorter drive, the discount tuition means the price is often cheaper than at The University of Illinois. 

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Ranking methodology
#1 in Wisconsin | #87 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 3.18

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $17,234

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 3.5 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $47,668

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: + $4,893

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 60%
Graduation rate: 88%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#2 in Wisconsin | #92 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 3.21

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $14,417

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 3.6 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $45,011

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: + $4,334

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 83%
Graduation rate: 66%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#3 in Wisconsin | #141 in Political Science nationally

Marquette University

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Economic score: 4.00

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $30,380

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 4.9 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $52,681

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: + $9,711

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 86%
Graduation rate: 82%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#4 in Wisconsin | #201 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 4.71

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $13,092

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 4.4 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $39,599

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $2,726

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 91%
Graduation rate: 57%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#5 in Wisconsin | #242 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 5.45

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $14,654

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 5.3 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $39,271

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $1,392

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 74%
Graduation rate: 69%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#6 in Wisconsin | #278 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 6.18

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $17,486

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 6.1 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $40,414

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $276

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 89%
Graduation rate: 52%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#7 in Wisconsin | #280 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 6.21

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $16,051

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 5.7 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $39,090

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $3,559

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 77%
Graduation rate: 66%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#8 in Wisconsin | #375 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 10.74

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $14,687

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 8.8 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $34,537

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $7,799

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 90%
Graduation rate: 62%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#9 in Wisconsin | #380 in Political Science nationally

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

Economic score: 11.37

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $12,246

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 8.3 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $31,362

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $11,710

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 67%
Graduation rate: 77%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#10 in Wisconsin | #464 in Political Science nationally

Lawrence University

Appleton, Wisconsin

Economic score: 54.46

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $22,452

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 35.1 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $27,840

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $15,308

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 75%
Graduation rate: 79%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

How long does it take me to repay a bachelor's degree in poli sci/government in Wisconsin?

Years

5.9 years

The cost of the average bachelor's degree in poli sci/government in Wisconsin is covered by the new earnings of graduates in 5.9 years.

How much do graduates with bachelor's degree in poli sci/government earn in Wisconsin?

Salary

$42,235

The median bachelor's degree in poli sci/government graduate earns $42,235 3 years after graduating.

How much does a bachelor's degree in poli sci/government cost in Wisconsin?

Net cost

$18,455

The average annual cost of a bachelor's degree in poli sci/government is $18,455. This is the net cost and considers only students that have received Title IV funds.