Best Private Colleges in Wisconsin 2023

Best Private Colleges in Wisconsin 2023

Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges in Wisconsin.

10 Best Private Colleges in Wisconsin

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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.

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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?

Wisconsin’s Best Overall

What is the difference between public and private colleges?

Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.

Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.

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This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 19 private universities in Wisconsin. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in Wisconsin, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.

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Best Private Colleges in Wisconsin

  1. #5

    Carroll University

    Waukesha , WI

    Tuition + fees

    $35K

    Acceptance

    70%

    Graduation

    67%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1141/23

    Carroll University’s Online Degrees

    BS in Applied Physics and Engineering
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: None Reported
  2. Tuition + fees

    $32K

    Acceptance

    69%

    Graduation

    59%

    Student body

    4K

    Concordia University Wisconsin’s Online Degrees

    BS in Applied Computer Science
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Diagnostic Medical Sonography
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Communication and Leadership
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Human Resource Management
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Nursing
    Degree Concentrations
    • Family Nurse Practitioner
    • Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
    • Nurse Educator
    • Healthcare Informatics
    • Required Credits: 121
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Business Analytics and Change Management
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Business Management
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Social Work
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Management of Criminal Justice
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Radiologic Technology
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  3. Tuition + fees

    $35K

    Acceptance

    89%

    Graduation

    54%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1037/20

    Cardinal Stritch University’s Online Degrees

    BS in Business Administration
    Degree Concentrations
    • Introduction to Business
    • Advanced Business Principles
    • Human Resources and Marketing
    • Economics and Accounting
    • International Business
    • Introduction Sport and Recreation Business
    • Advanced Sport and Recreation Business
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA/BS in Education Studies
    Degree Concentrations
    • Introduction to Education
    • Classroom Management and Culture
    • Reading and Language Arts Integration
    • Secondary Curriculum and Methods
    • and Secondary Education Application
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Nursing
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Public Health
    Degree Concentrations
    • Human Biology
    • Social Inequality
    • Social Change and Social Institutions
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Public Health
    Degree Concentrations
    • Quantitative Chemistry
    • Human Biology
    • Social Change and Social Institutions
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  4. #12

    Ripon College

    Ripon , WI

    Tuition + fees

    $48K

    Acceptance

    80%

    Graduation

    62%

    Student body

    <1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1070/21

  5. #13

    Viterbo University

    La Crosse , WI

    Tuition + fees

    $30K

    Acceptance

    77%

    Graduation

    65%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1085/22

  6. #15

    Marian University

    Fond Du Lac , WI

    Tuition + fees

    $29K

    Acceptance

    76%

    Graduation

    56%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    995/19

    What is Marian University known for?

    Marian University ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  7. #16

    Lakeland University

    Plymouth , WI

    Tuition + fees

    $31K

    Acceptance

    80%

    Graduation

    43%

    Student body

    2K

  8. #17

    Mount Mary University

    Milwaukee , WI

    Tuition + fees

    $33K

    Acceptance

    62%

    Graduation

    51%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1042/18

    What is Mount Mary University known for?

    Mount Mary University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  9. Tuition + fees

    $18K

    Acceptance

    80%

    Graduation

    57%

    Student body

    <1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1225/24

    What is Maranatha Baptist University known for?

    Maranatha Baptist University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  10. Tuition + fees

    $33K

    Acceptance

    98%

    Graduation

    61%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1090/24

    What is Wisconsin Lutheran College known for?

    Wisconsin Lutheran College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

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Wisconsin’s Best Private Colleges in Your Area Interest

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.

  1. Marquette University
  2. Beloit College
  3. Ripon College
  4. Lawrence University
  5. Milwaukee School of Engineering
  6. Mount Mary University
  7. St. Norbert College
  8. Edgewood College
  9. Northland College
  10. Cardinal Stritch University
  11. Carroll University
  12. Maranatha Baptist University
  13. Marian University
  14. Alverno College
  15. Carthage College
  16. Concordia University Wisconsin
  17. Lakeland University
  18. Viterbo University
  19. Wisconsin Lutheran College
  20. Holy Family College

Check out our directory of private colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top private schools in every state.