The cost of college in Wisconsin — and what it pays back
Across the 53 Wisconsin institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $15,193/yr, $1,709 below the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $52,021 ten years after entry (above the $43,549 national median), and 30 of the 53 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How Wisconsin's 53 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee School of Engineering | $22,453 | $89,070 | 2.2 yrs |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | $17,354 | $73,792 | 2.7 yrs |
| Marquette University | $31,487 | $78,257 | 4.2 yrs |
| University of Wisconsin-Platteville | $16,032 | $61,760 | 4.8 yrs |
| Bellin College | $37,408 | $76,222 | 5.4 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicolet Area Technical College | $8,255 | $38,643 | no payback |
| College of Menominee Nation | $8,805 | $25,853 | no payback |
| Northwood Technical College | $8,989 | $43,406 | no payback |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College | $9,112 | $41,113 | no payback |
| Moraine Park Technical College | $9,268 | $44,371 | no payback |
How many Wisconsin colleges actually pay for themselves?
30 of 53 — 57% of the Wisconsin institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do Wisconsin graduates out-earn the national median?
Wisconsin graduates report a median $52,021 ten years after entry, $8,473 above the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.