Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Research Universities in Wisconsin 2026

Q: Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Badge for BEST IN WISCONSIN RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

By Dr. James Barham

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Interested in attending a STEM school in Wisconsin? Our ranking of top research universities for bachelor’s degrees displays schools that will best prepare you for STEM careers.

Key Takeaways

Wisconsin’s top research universities collaborate with industries and government agencies, offering students internship opportunities, access to real-world projects, and funding for innovative research.
These universities provide cutting-edge labs, research centers, and technology, allowing students to engage in advanced research across fields like engineering, healthcare, and environmental science.
These institutions encourage students to work across disciplines, fostering collaborative research that addresses complex, global challenges and promotes innovation.

Table of Contents

Best Research Universities in Wisconsin in 2026

University of Wisconsin–Madison
Marquette University
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Concordia University Wisconsin
Cardinal Stritch University
+1
Edgewood College
–1

Prospective students and advisors searching for the best research universities in Wisconsin for 2026 are primarily evaluating which campuses combine strong STEM doctoral programs, sustained research activity, and accessible student research opportunities. This ranking focuses on institutions that are fully accredited and offer doctoral degrees across the STEM fields, so the schools listed emphasize laboratory facilities, faculty-led projects, graduate funding, and partnerships with industry and government.

Use the list below to compare institutions by the breadth of doctoral programs, the visibility of undergraduate research pathways, and the kinds of experiential training each campus prioritizes. We identified 6 research universities in Wisconsin that meet these criteria to help you narrow choices for graduate study, research internships, or STEM-focused undergraduate pathways.

Best Research Universities in Wisconsin

Last Year’s Ranking:
1. University of Wisconsin–Madison
2. Marquette University
3. University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
4. Concordia University Wisconsin
5. Edgewood College
6. Cardinal Stritch University
#1
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Madison , WI
#6 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2025 #7 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #7 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #24 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2026
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
49%
Graduation
89%
Student body
51K
Median SAT/ACT
1425/29
Career Outlook for degree at University of Wisconsin–Madison
Cost of Degree: $11,205
Expenses: $17,700
Starting Salary: $68,000
Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is University of Wisconsin–Madison known for?

University of Wisconsin–Madison’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Sociology
History
Earth Sciences
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Anthropology
Biology
Psychology
Computer Science

Most Influential Alumni

Frank Lloyd Wright
Carl Rogers
Edward Witten
John Bardeen
Charles Lindbergh
Abraham Maslow
Jim Lovell
Jack Kilby
Joshua Lederberg
Warren Weaver
C. Wright Mills
Jayaprakash Narayan
Compare school
#2
Marquette University
Milwaukee , WI
#16 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2026 #1 Best Christian Colleges in Wisconsin 2026 #1 Best Private Colleges in Wisconsin 2025 #2 Best Grad Schools in Wisconsin 2026
Tuition + fees
$47K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
83%
Student body
12K
Median SAT/ACT
1265/28
Career Outlook for degree at Marquette University
Cost of Degree: $48,700
Expenses: $19,730
Starting Salary: $70,700
Cost Recoup Time: 16 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is Marquette University known for?

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

Religious Studies
Nursing
Communications
Philosophy
Law
Medical
History
Business
Literature
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Dan Harmon
Joseph McCarthy
Peter Boghossian
Dwyane Wade
Matthew Fox
Scott Hahn
John Neumeier
James Foley
Kathleen Hall Jamieson
Charles Thomas Horngren
Walter A. Davis
Paul F. Knitter
Compare school
#3
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Milwaukee , WI
#2 Most Affordable Colleges in Wisconsin 2026 #2 Best Public Colleges in Wisconsin 2026 #3 Best Grad Schools in Wisconsin 2026 #3 Best Colleges in Wisconsin 2025
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
48%
Student body
28K
Career Outlook for degree at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Cost of Degree: $10,020
Expenses: $15,380
Starting Salary: $48,200
Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee known for?

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Psychology
Social Work
Physics
Engineering
Anthropology
Criminal Justice
Sociology
Literature
Computer Science
Communications

Most Influential Alumni

Jack Kilby
Virginia Satir
John E. Douglas
Eugenie Scott
Alberto Fujimori
George L. Kelling
Steve de Shazer
Golda Meir
Katia Sycara
Willem Dafoe
Reinhold Aman
Euphrase Kezilahabi
Compare school
#4
Concordia University Wisconsin
Mequon , WI
#25 Best CCCU Colleges and Universities 2026 #3 Best Christian Colleges in Wisconsin 2026 #4 Best Grad Schools in Wisconsin 2026 #5 Best Small Colleges in Wisconsin 2026
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
66%
Student body
6K
Career Outlook for degree at Concordia University Wisconsin
Cost of Degree: $34,250
Expenses: $20,000
Starting Salary: $47,300
Cost Recoup Time: 17 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is Concordia University Wisconsin known for?

Concordia University Wisconsin’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Religious Studies
History
Nursing
Medical
Communications
Criminal Justice
Computer Science
Political Science
Education
Economics

Most Influential Alumni

Martin E. Marty
David Clarke
Joel D. Heck
Richard Lischer
Ralph W. Klein
Norman Wengert
Walter Wangerin Jr.
André Carson
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
Compare school
#5
Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee , WI
#5 Best Grad Schools in Wisconsin 2026 #9 Best Christian Colleges in Wisconsin 2026 #9 Best Online Master's Programs in Wisconsin 2026 #10 Best Online Colleges in Wisconsin 2026
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
52%
Student body
2K
What is Cardinal Stritch University known for?

Cardinal Stritch University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Nursing
Communications
Education
History
Psychology
Business
Biology
Sociology
Social Work
Mathematics

Most Influential Alumni

Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck
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
Compare school
#6
Edgewood College
Madison , WI
#6 Best Grad Schools in Wisconsin 2026 #10 Best Private Colleges in Wisconsin 2025
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
62%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Edgewood College
Cost of Degree: $34,850
Expenses: $16,302
Starting Salary: $47,600
Cost Recoup Time: 17 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is Edgewood College known for?

Edgewood College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Nursing
Sociology
Religious Studies
Communications
Business
Psychology
Mathematics
Literature
Biology
Medical
Compare school

Build your own college rankings

Find the Best Research Universities in Wisconsin for Your Area of Interest

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines.

Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students.

Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).

Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers.

Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available.

Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online.

Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands.

Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.

Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving.

If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.

The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors.

Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 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.

Check out our directory of research universities throughout the U.S. for a look at the top research institutions in every state.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Research Universities in Wisconsin 2026

Key Takeaways

Best Research Universities in Wisconsin in 2026

Best Research Universities in Wisconsin

Last Year’s Ranking:

University of Wisconsin–Madison

Career Outlook for degree at University of Wisconsin–Madison

Most Influential Alumni

Marquette University

Career Outlook for degree at Marquette University

Most Influential Alumni

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Career Outlook for degree at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Most Influential Alumni

Concordia University Wisconsin

Career Outlook for degree at Concordia University Wisconsin

Most Influential Alumni

Concordia University Wisconsin’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Cardinal Stritch University

Most Influential Alumni

Cardinal Stritch University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Edgewood College

Career Outlook for degree at Edgewood College

Find the Best Research Universities in Wisconsin for Your Area of Interest