Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Wisconsin (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Wisconsin lists 32 four-year institutions in Wisconsin. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's mobility pillar for Wisconsin, highest first.
The pillar measures historical low-income earnings relative to peers, the scale of Pell enrollment and Pell completion, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks 1st on this list and reports median earnings of $78,974 for its graduates four years after completing. The list includes 13 public and 19 private nonprofit schools.
University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks 82nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally. University of Wisconsin-Parkside posts the lowest average net price on the page, at $11,772. Bellin College has the highest admission rate, admitting 97% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI | $78,974 | $17,354 | $4,200 | 45.2% |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison reports median earnings of $78,974 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 90%. | |||||
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI | $62,480 | $15,014 | $10,329 | 90.7% |
| Admitting 91% of applicants, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee shows an average net price of $15,014. | |||||
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater · Whitewater, WI | $58,704 | $14,158 | $8,440 | 85.7% |
| Graduates of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater earn a median of $58,704 four years after completing, and the school ranks 385th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point · Stevens Point, WI | $51,548 | $14,559 | $8,833 | 91.8% |
| University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point carries an average net price of $8,833 for families earning under $30,000 and graduates 51% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse · La Crosse, WI | $60,184 | $16,210 | $8,224 | 75.5% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 71%, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse posts median earnings of $60,184 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire · Eau Claire, WI | $60,838 | $16,550 | $10,270 | 82.3% |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a public institution in Eau Claire, admits 82% of applicants and reports an average net price of $16,550. | |||||
| 7 | Beloit College · Beloit, WI | $48,801 | $21,526 | $15,176 | 63.0% |
| Beloit College graduates earn a median of $48,801 four years after completing, and the school ranks 1102nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 8 | Marquette University · Milwaukee, WI | $80,228 | $31,487 | $22,269 | 81.3% |
| An average net price of $22,269 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with an admission rate of 81% at Marquette University. | |||||
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville · Platteville, WI | $70,899 | $16,032 | $9,009 | 89.4% |
| Graduates of University of Wisconsin-Platteville earn a median of $70,899 four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 56%. | |||||
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh · Oshkosh, WI | $59,730 | $14,305 | $9,236 | 86.5% |
| University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh reports an average net price of $14,305 and a six-year completion rate of 46%. | |||||
| 11 | Lawrence University · Appleton, WI | $51,503 | $23,401 | $10,419 | 63.9% |
| Lawrence University admits 64% of applicants and shows median earnings of $51,503 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls · River Falls, WI | $54,923 | $14,054 | $8,472 | 81.7% |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls carries an average net price of $8,472 for families earning under $30,000 and graduates 57% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay · Green Bay, WI | $54,344 | $13,369 | $9,144 | 88.6% |
| Ranks 13th on this list, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay reports median earnings of $54,344 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 14 | University of Wisconsin-Stout · Menomonie, WI | $64,234 | $17,490 | $10,966 | 87.7% |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout graduates 55% within six years and reports median earnings of $64,234 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 15 | Ripon College · Ripon, WI | $50,210 | $20,216 | $15,712 | 79.8% |
| Admitting 80% of applicants, Ripon College reports median earnings of $50,210 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | Bellin College · Green Bay, WI | $77,238 | $37,408 | $29,994 | 97.2% |
| Bellin College reports median earnings of $77,238 for its graduates four years after completing and carries an average net price of $37,408. | |||||
| 17 | Wisconsin Lutheran College · Milwaukee, WI | $57,728 | $23,245 | $18,190 | 78.2% |
| Wisconsin Lutheran College shows an average net price of $18,190 for families earning under $30,000 and a six-year completion rate of 64%. | |||||
| 18 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside · Kenosha, WI | $55,184 | $11,772 | $7,425 | 75.4% |
| With an admission rate of 75%, University of Wisconsin-Parkside carries an average net price of $11,772. | |||||
| 19 | University of Wisconsin-Superior · Superior, WI | $50,018 | $12,220 | $9,679 | 93.0% |
| University of Wisconsin-Superior reports median earnings of $50,018 for its graduates four years after completing and ranks 19th on this list. | |||||
| 20 | Milwaukee School of Engineering · Milwaukee, WI | $90,607 | $22,453 | $11,607 | 58.9% |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering reports median earnings of $90,607 for its graduates four years after completing and admits 59% of applicants. | |||||
| 21 | Mount Mary University · Milwaukee, WI | $54,418 | $20,144 | $18,155 | 62.3% |
| Ranks 21st on this list, Mount Mary University carries an average net price of $20,144 and graduates 43% within six years. | |||||
| 22 | Edgewood University · Madison, WI | $68,625 | $26,113 | $22,291 | 75.7% |
| Edgewood University ranks 22nd on this list and shows an average net price of $26,113. | |||||
| 23 | Saint Norbert College · De Pere, WI | $58,944 | $26,172 | $19,721 | 85.7% |
| Saint Norbert College graduates 71% within six years and carries an average net price of $26,172. | |||||
| 24 | Viterbo University · La Crosse, WI | $69,675 | $21,260 | $13,657 | 72.4% |
| An average net price of $13,657 for families earning under $30,000 applies to Viterbo University, which admits 72% of applicants. | |||||
| 25 | Marian University · Fond Du Lac, WI | $65,859 | $21,937 | $17,449 | 75.0% |
| Marian University reports median earnings of $65,859 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $21,937. | |||||
| 26 | Carthage College · Kenosha, WI | $59,751 | $26,565 | $23,293 | 87.1% |
| Carthage College admits 87% of applicants and graduates 64% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 27 | Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design · Milwaukee, WI | $42,304 | $26,541 | $21,419 | 60.5% |
| Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design ranks 1409th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a six-year completion rate of 67%. | |||||
| 28 | Carroll University · Waukesha, WI | $66,639 | $15,193 | $15,718 | 66.8% |
| Carroll University posts an average net price of $15,193 and median earnings of $66,639 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 29 | Alverno College · Milwaukee, WI | $67,760 | $22,540 | $22,032 | 85.7% |
| Alverno College has an admission rate of 86% and reports median earnings of $67,760 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 30 | Lakeland University · Plymouth, WI | $66,716 | $24,212 | $22,453 | 86.3% |
| Lakeland University graduates 42% of its students within six years and shows an average net price of $24,212. | |||||
| 31 | Maranatha Baptist University · Watertown, WI | $49,529 | $26,005 | $24,786 | 71.9% |
| Maranatha Baptist University ranks 31st on this list, with median earnings of $49,529 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 32 | Concordia University-Wisconsin · Mequon, WI | $63,361 | $36,201 | $34,991 | 78.2% |
| Concordia University-Wisconsin reports an average net price of $36,201 and an admission rate of 78%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's mobility pillar for Wisconsin, highest first. The pillar measures historical low-income earnings relative to peers, the scale of Pell enrollment and Pell completion, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The pillar draws on the earnings of federally aided completers measured four years after completing, when they are working and not enrolled, alongside Pell enrollment and completion. It does not measure earnings in any one major or teaching quality. The list includes 13 public and 19 private nonprofit institutions. University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks 1st on this list and posts a six-year completion rate of 90%, the highest on the page, while University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee reports median earnings of $62,480 for its graduates four years after completing.