Highest 20-Year ROI Colleges in Wisconsin
The biggest 20-year net financial gain over a high-school-only earner — tuition and debt already subtracted. Our tax-verified answer to the 20-year ROI question, from IRS-linked federal earnings rather than self-reported surveys.
Showing Wisconsin
Clear state| # | College | Type | 20-yr net gain | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee, WI | Private | $764,429 | $88,204 | $22,453 | $27,000 | +334% | Strong return | |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI | Public | $474,579 | $72,573 | $17,354 | $20,484 | +259% | Strong return | |
| 3 | Marquette University Milwaukee, WI | Private | $467,048 | $75,086 | $31,487 | $23,940 | +123% | Strong return | |
| 4 | Carroll University Waukesha, WI | Private | $352,209 | $66,141 | $15,193 | $27,000 | +199% | Strong return | |
| 5 | Marian University Fond Du Lac, WI | Private | $351,342 | $67,410 | $21,937 | $25,000 | +131% | Strong return | |
| 6 | Concordia University-Wisconsin Mequon, WI | Private | $315,212 | $68,470 | $36,201 | $25,750 | +52% | Break-even | |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville, WI | Public | $282,243 | $62,719 | $16,032 | $21,977 | +146% | Strong return | |
| 8 | Viterbo University La Crosse, WI | Private | $278,670 | $63,641 | $21,260 | $25,000 | +98% | Strong return | |
| 9 | Alverno College Milwaukee, WI | Private | $273,261 | $63,663 | $22,540 | $27,000 | +87% | Strong return | |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI | Public | $255,785 | $61,042 | $14,305 | $21,500 | +147% | Strong return | |
| 11 | Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee, WI | Private | $243,665 | $62,306 | $23,245 | $26,000 | +69% | Strong return | |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI | Public | $229,179 | $60,376 | $17,490 | $23,000 | +96% | Strong return | |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse La Crosse, WI | Public | $226,661 | $59,985 | $16,210 | $22,500 | +105% | Strong return | |
| 14 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI | Public | $201,643 | $58,504 | $15,014 | $23,000 | +97% | Strong return | |
| 15 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI | Public | $172,941 | $57,338 | $16,550 | $20,909 | +67% | Strong return | |
| 16 | Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee, WI | Public | $166,585 | $54,658 | $11,101 | $12,000 | +263% | Strong return | |
| 17 | Edgewood University Madison, WI | Private | $156,268 | $58,481 | $26,113 | $24,424 | +19% | Break-even | |
| 18 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside Kenosha, WI | Public | $153,505 | $55,403 | $11,772 | $20,492 | +91% | Strong return | |
| 19 | Madison Area Technical College Madison, WI | Public | $151,440 | $54,252 | $14,238 | $14,060 | +175% | Strong return | |
| 20 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls, WI | Public | $132,714 | $54,820 | $14,054 | $20,500 | +54% | Break-even | |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater, WI | Public | $129,918 | $54,750 | $14,158 | $23,188 | +50% | Break-even | |
| 22 | Carthage College Kenosha, WI | Private | $117,065 | $56,640 | $26,565 | $26,000 | +1% | Break-even | |
| 23 | Lakeland University Plymouth, WI | Private | $83,222 | $54,459 | $24,212 | $25,000 | -11% | Poor return | |
| 24 | Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI | Public | $81,175 | $50,389 | $11,407 | $10,402 | +103% | Strong return | |
| 25 | Western Technical College La Crosse, WI | Public | $76,953 | $50,158 | $11,008 | $11,500 | +97% | Strong return | |
| 26 | Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire, WI | Public | $67,084 | $49,791 | $12,285 | $11,432 | +67% | Strong return | |
| 27 | Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac, WI | Public | $57,567 | $48,955 | $9,268 | $8,225 | +84% | Strong return | |
| 28 | Herzing University-Kenosha Kenosha, WI | Private | $52,701 | $52,640 | $23,066 | $21,500 | -24% | Poor return | |
| 29 | Mid-State Technical College Wisconsin Rapids, WI | Public | $50,159 | $48,741 | $10,873 | $8,000 | +52% | Break-even | |
| 30 | Lakeshore Technical College Cleveland, WI | Public | $35,983 | $47,892 | $9,653 | $7,000 | +32% | Break-even | |
| 31 | Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore, WI | Public | $35,015 | $48,177 | $12,896 | $7,500 | +11% | Break-even | |
| 32 | University of Wisconsin-Superior Superior, WI | Public | $34,761 | $49,592 | $12,220 | $22,500 | -20% | Poor return | |
| 33 | Northcentral Technical College Wausau, WI | Public | $28,521 | $47,593 | $10,303 | $7,500 | +11% | Break-even | |
| 34 | Herzing University-Madison Madison, WI | Private | $20,057 | $50,860 | $22,327 | $21,500 | -40% | Poor return | |
| 35 | Gateway Technical College Kenosha, WI | Public | $6,131 | $46,821 | $12,928 | $12,165 | -40% | Poor return | |
| 36 | Ripon College Ripon, WI | Private | $5,357 | $49,803 | $20,216 | $27,000 | -47% | Poor return | |
| 37 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Green Bay, WI | Public | $2,202 | $48,121 | $13,369 | $18,500 | -48% | Poor return | |
| 38 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay, WI | Public | $-1,326 | $46,139 | $9,918 | $11,719 | -53% | Poor return | |
| 39 | Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WI | Public | $-2,214 | $46,073 | $9,112 | $14,955 | -55% | Poor return | |
| 40 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI | Public | $-5,112 | $48,048 | $14,559 | $21,503 | -54% | Poor return | |
| 41 | Saint Norbert College De Pere, WI | Private | $-13,849 | $50,029 | $26,172 | $26,731 | -56% | Poor return | |
| 42 | Blackhawk Technical College Janesville, WI | Public | $-57,380 | $43,238 | $9,330 | $9,550 | -180% | Poor return | |
| 43 | Mount Mary University Milwaukee, WI | Private | $-71,031 | $45,938 | $20,144 | $25,288 | -90% | Poor return | |
| 44 | Nicolet Area Technical College Rhinelander, WI | Public | $-89,406 | $41,498 | $8,255 | $7,837 | -281% | Poor return | |
| 45 | Northwood Technical College Rice Lake, WI | Public | $-90,624 | $41,518 | $8,989 | $8,250 | -266% | Poor return | |
| 46 | Maranatha Baptist University Watertown, WI | Private | $-95,434 | $45,687 | $26,005 | $14,143 | -94% | Poor return | |
| 47 | Beloit College Beloit, WI | Private | $-131,063 | $43,221 | $21,526 | $25,738 | -119% | Poor return | |
| 48 | Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa Wauwatosa, WI | Private | $-148,505 | $40,939 | $14,858 | $21,549 | -160% | Poor return | |
| 49 | Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Milwaukee, WI | Private | $-150,723 | $43,264 | $26,541 | $27,000 | -115% | Poor return | |
| 50 | Lawrence University Appleton, WI | Private | $-153,699 | $42,469 | $23,401 | $26,000 | -125% | Poor return |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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