5 Best Colleges in Wisconsin – 2024

Academic Highlights: There are 230+ undergraduate majors offered across eight schools and colleges, Undergrads can expect a mix of large and small classes, with 43% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Undergraduate research opportunities exist, but the onus is on the student to show initiative and procure the placement. Still, 44% of recent grads engaged in research, and the school hosts an annual Undergraduate Symposium where 600 students presented in 2024. Participation is much higher when it comes to study abroad programs; 25% of students take advantage each year and there are 325 programs in 80 countries to choose from.

Professional Outcomes: In 2023, 72% of job-seeking grads graduated with an offer.  Top employers included UW-Madison, Epic, UW Health, the State of Wisconsin, Kohl’s, and Deloitte. Across all graduating years, companies employing 250+ alumni include Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Target, Apple, Meta, and Salesforce. Class of 2023 grads enrolled in graduate/professional programs at a rate of 28%; volunteering is also a popular path post-graduation for UW-Madison alumni as the university is the #1 producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

Academic Highlights: Beloit College offers students an intimate, globally engaged liberal arts experience with over 40 majors across five career-focused schools, all supported by an exceptional 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The academic environment emphasizes personalized learning, with 99% of classes enrolling fewer than 30 students; one-third of students pursue double majors. This close-knit academic community extends worldwide, with 35% of students studying abroad through 100+ programs in 60 countries, blending rigorous classroom learning with transformative global experiences.

Professional Outcomes: Beloit graduates achieve remarkable success, with 93% employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation. The Class of 2023 exemplifies this trajectory, with 77% entering the workforce at top employers like Microsoft, Deloitte, and Epic Systems, while 40% pursued advanced degrees immediately. The long-term impact is even more impressive—63% of alumni eventually earn graduate degrees. These academic and professional investments pay dividends, with graduates commanding median salaries of $60,400 early in their careers, growing to $107,300 at mid-career, demonstrating the enduring value of Beloit’s liberal arts foundation in an evolving job market.

Academic Highlights: There are 65 majors and minors at LU. A 7:1 student/faculty ratio allows for extremely small class sizes—the majority of sections contain only two to nineteen students, and many independent study/1:1 instruction courses are also available. The Lawrence University Research Fellows (LURF) program offers a stipend during ten-week, research-focused terms. All told, close to two-thirds of LU students gain hands-on research experience at some point during their four years of study. The college strongly encourages students to study abroad, and roughly 40% take the plunge.

Professional Outcomes: Of the 312 graduates in one recent graduating class, an impressive 99% had already reached their next employment or postsecondary destination. Among the 75% of that group who had landed their first jobs, employers include Bloomberg LP, Epic, Facebook, PayPal, Boeing, and the Walt Disney Company. Over the last few years, graduates have gone on to master’s and doctoral programs at schools such as Boston University, Harvard, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, MIT, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: With a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, the university keeps 47% of class sections at 19 or fewer students. Marquette offers more than 75 majors and 80+ minors across seven colleges.  Opportunities for hands-on training are available via the Office of Research and Innovation or via other discipline-specific postings available each semester. With 80+ partnerships throughout the world, 30% of Golden Eagles study abroad.

Professional Outcomes: Fifty-six percent of recent grads enjoyed full-time employment within six months of graduation, although that figure varied widely by discipline. The largest employers of Golden Eagle alumni include GE Healthcare, Northwestern Mutual, Rockwell Automation, Baird, Johnson Controls, and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Other Midwestern powerhouses, including Kohl’s Medtronic and Milwaukee Tool, also employ hundreds of Marquette graduates. Slightly over half of 2023 grads stayed put in the state of Wisconsin while 24% went south to Illinois, and 6% settled in another Midwestern state.

Academic Highlights: Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) delivers a rigorous, hands-on education through 24 undergraduate majors and nine graduate programs, all supported by an exceptional 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. With an average class size of 19 and over one-third of courses enrolling fewer than 20 students, MSOE ensures personalized mentorship from day one—no large lecture halls required. The university’s distinctive “applied learning” model prioritizes real-world skills, offering more lab spaces than traditional classrooms to provide unparalleled technical training.

Professional Outcomes: This school has a lot to brag about in terms of postgraduation outcomes, starting with a 98% placement rate and an average starting salary of $75,532. Students regularly take advantage of the Career Connections Center and connect with the school’s corporate partners, which include Cognex, Miller Electric, HED, Associated Bank, Milwaukee Tool, Badger Meter, Generac, Hydrite, Nordco, and ULINE.