Best Community Colleges in Wisconsin 2024
The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top-rated community colleges in Wisconsin offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.
10 Best Community Colleges in Wisconsin
- Milwaukee Area Technical College
- Chippewa Valley Technical College
- Western Technical College
- Fox Valley Technical College
- Waukesha County Technical College
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
- Lakeshore Technical College
- Gateway Technical College
- Mid-State Technical College
- Moraine Park Technical College
- Milwaukee Area Technical College
- Western Technical College
- Fox Valley Technical College
- Gateway Technical College
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
- Lakeshore Technical College
- College of Menominee Nation
- Waukesha County Technical College
- Northcentral Technical College
- Chippewa Valley Technical College
- Waukesha County Technical College 22 to 1
- Northcentral Technical College 18 to 1
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College 16 to 1
- Southwest Wisconsin Technical College 16 to 1
- Chippewa Valley Technical College 14 to 1
- Lakeshore Technical College 13 to 1
- Mid-State Technical College 12 to 1
- Moraine Park Technical College 11 to 1
- Fox Valley Technical College 10 to 1
- Milwaukee Area Technical College 9 to 1
- College of Menominee Nation $6,200
- Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College $6,030
- Northwood Technical College $4,570
- Fox Valley Technical College $4,304
- Gateway Technical College $4,304
- Milwaukee Area Technical College $4,304
- Nicolet College $4,304
- Chippewa Valley Technical College $4,304
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College $4,304
- Waukesha County Technical College $4,304
- Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College
- Nicolet College
- College of Menominee Nation
- Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
- Northwood Technical College
- Blackhawk Technical College
- Northcentral Technical College
- Moraine Park Technical College
- Mid-State Technical College
- Gateway Technical College
- Nicolet College
- Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College
- Blackhawk Technical College
- Mid-State Technical College
- Moraine Park Technical College
- Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
- Northwood Technical College
- Chippewa Valley Technical College
- Northcentral Technical College
- Waukesha County Technical College
- Northwood Technical College 5 to 1
- Nicolet College 7 to 1
- College of Menominee Nation 7 to 1
- Gateway Technical College 8 to 1
- Blackhawk Technical College 8 to 1
- Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College 8 to 1
- Milwaukee Area Technical College 9 to 1
- Western Technical College 9 to 1
- Fox Valley Technical College 10 to 1
- Moraine Park Technical College 11 to 1
- Northcentral Technical College $3,443
- Lakeshore Technical College $4,045
- Mid-State Technical College $4,179
- Southwest Wisconsin Technical College $4,290
- Western Technical College $4,298
- Moraine Park Technical College $4,303
- Fox Valley Technical College $4,304
- Gateway Technical College $4,304
- Milwaukee Area Technical College $4,304
- Nicolet College $4,304
Colleges and Universities in Wisconsin
Between community colleges, technical schools, and universities, Wisconsin has 30 public schools. All the public schools in Wisconsin have affordable tuitions, ranging from $4,000 to $11,000. The University of Wisconsin - Madison has over 35,000 students in attendance, making it the largest in the state. The tuition runs about $11,000, and the school boasts an 85% graduation rate. Public affairs, veterinary medicine, and human ecology are just some of the fields students can study here.
Find college admissions consultants in your state.
Of Wisconsin’s 29 private schools, 18 are religious. With just under 10,000 students, Marquette University is the largest, and tuition for this school is about $42,000. Located in Milwaukee, this Catholic, Jesuit university offers degrees in fields like business, engineering, physical therapy, and law. Also located in Milwaukee, the state’s smallest institution, the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology, is a private graduate school with just over 30 students, and is geared toward those earning their doctoral degree in clinical psychology. Wisconsin, like many states, also provides a loan forgiveness program to those who are working in the health care field.
When people think Wisconsin, they might immediately crave cheese. After all, the state is home to a museum dedicated to all things cheese, including the annual making of a 90-pound wheel of Swiss. But The Beaver State is also known for its more than 15,000 lakes, including Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. Prospective students looking to earn their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree will enjoy the food, landscape, and educational variety Wisconsin has to offer.
Learn more about Wisconsin’s higher education opportunities by checking out the state’s variety of colleges and universities.
What are Wisconsin’s Colleges & Universities?
- 6 Research Universities
- 26 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 7 Graduate Schools
- 13 Public Colleges & Universities
- 19 Private Colleges & Universities
- 15 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 20 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 14 Affordable Colleges (below $20,000/year)
- 17 Community Colleges
- Best Online Colleges
Wisconsin’s Best Overall
We’ve identified 17 community colleges in Wisconsin. The following list shows the best community colleges and primarily associate degree granting colleges in Wisconsin.
Best Community Colleges in Wisconsin
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
15%
Student body
20K
Career Outlook for degree at Milwaukee Area Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,867Expenses: $16,234Starting Salary: $33,500Cost Recoup Time: 12 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Milwaukee Area Technical College known for?
Milwaukee Area Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- #4 Best Online Associate Degrees in Wisconsin 2024 #16 Best Online Associate in Software Development
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
46%
Student body
12K
Career Outlook for degree at Chippewa Valley Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,642Starting Salary: $38,300What is Chippewa Valley Technical College known for?
Chippewa Valley Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
42%
Student body
6K
Career Outlook for degree at Western Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,636Expenses: $13,038Starting Salary: $37,100Cost Recoup Time: 10 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Western Technical College known for?
Western Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
50%
Student body
17K
Career Outlook for degree at Fox Valley Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,826Starting Salary: $37,300What is Fox Valley Technical College known for?
Fox Valley Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
47%
Student body
10K
Career Outlook for degree at Waukesha County Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,571Starting Salary: $38,800What is Waukesha County Technical College known for?
Waukesha County Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
50%
Student body
15K
Career Outlook for degree at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,814Starting Salary: $38,400What is Northeast Wisconsin Technical College known for?
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
48%
Student body
5K
Career Outlook for degree at Lakeshore Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,303Starting Salary: $36,100What is Lakeshore Technical College known for?
Lakeshore Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
45%
Student body
14K
Career Outlook for degree at Gateway Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,766Starting Salary: $32,400What is Gateway Technical College known for?
Gateway Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
41%
Student body
5K
Career Outlook for degree at Mid-State Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,760Starting Salary: $35,700What is Mid-State Technical College known for?
Mid-State Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
45%
Student body
7K
Career Outlook for degree at Moraine Park Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,641Starting Salary: $36,100What is Moraine Park Technical College known for?
Moraine Park Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- #10 Best Accredited Online Trade Schools for Vocational Skills #14 Fastest Accelerated Online Associate's of Counseling Degree Programs
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
32%
Student body
9K
Career Outlook for degree at Northcentral Technical College
Cost of Degree: $3,791Starting Salary: $37,000What is Northcentral Technical College known for?
Northcentral Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
42%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Blackhawk Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,642Starting Salary: $34,100What is Blackhawk Technical College known for?
Blackhawk Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
60%
Student body
5K
Career Outlook for degree at Northwood Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,570Starting Salary: $36,200What is Northwood Technical College known for?
Northwood Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
55%
Student body
4K
Career Outlook for degree at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
Cost of Degree: $4,571Expenses: $13,544Starting Salary: $36,000Cost Recoup Time: 10 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryTuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
33%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at College of Menominee Nation
Cost of Degree: $6,200Starting Salary: $23,500What is College of Menominee Nation known for?
College of Menominee Nation’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
49%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Nicolet College
Cost of Degree: $4,642Starting Salary: $31,400What is Nicolet College known for?
Nicolet College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
8%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College
Cost of Degree: $6,030Starting Salary: $22,100What is Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College known for?
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
2021 Ranking Archive
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
- Western Technical College
- Milwaukee Area Technical College
- Lakeshore Technical College
- Waukesha County Technical College
- Northcentral Technical College
- Mid-State Technical College
- Fox Valley Technical College
- Gateway Technical College
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
- Moraine Park Technical College
- Northwood Technical College
- College of Menominee Nation
- Chippewa Valley Technical College
- Blackhawk Technical College
- Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
- Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College
- Nicolet College