10 Best Colleges in Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin Platteville grew out of a 1959 merger between Wisconsin State College Platteville and the Wisconsin Institute of Technology. Today, this public university enrolls more than 8,000 students in its on-site and online programs. The school's 820-acre campus boasts an art gallery, 16 NCAA athletics teams, and more than 80 annual events.

The university's comprehensive academic offerings include certificate options as well as associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees in fields like accounting, criminal justice, engineering, fine arts, and health and human performance. Additionally, UW-Platteville is the only public institution in the Midwest granting a bachelor of science in forensic investigation. Students in this program connect classroom learning with hands-on work in simulated crime scenes. Furthermore, UW-Platteville offers more than two dozen programs in a flexible online format.

Admission requirements vary by student status. Prospective first-time students must provide high school transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores.

Wisconsin's first four-year higher education institution -- known today as Carroll University -- was established in 1846. More than 3,000 students attend class each year at Carroll's facilities in Waukesha, including a center for graduate studies. The university also owns a 64-acre field research station in Genesee.

Carroll offers more than 95 study areas for undergraduates to explore, including majors in animal behavior, communication, freshwater sciences, music therapy, and information technology. The most popular choices include biology, business, exercise science, and nursing. Twenty-six bachelor's programs offer an accelerated three-year pathway to graduation. For graduate students, Carroll offers a doctor of physical therapy and several master's degrees in business administration, education, nursing, and health sciences fields.

Admission requirements for first-time undergraduates include high school transcripts and standardized test scores. Carroll accepts applications on a rolling basis.

Marquette University is a Jesuit research university located in Milwaukee. The school became the world's first coeducational Catholic university when its first class of women students were admitted in 1909. Today, the university welcomes more than 11,000 undergraduate and graduate learners each year.

Marquette serves as a popular destination for pre-professionals; it is home to the only dental school and one of only two law schools in the state of Wisconsin. Other available undergraduate areas of study include theology and religion, biophysics, military history, engineering, and real estate. Marquette also offers more than 70 master's degrees, doctoral degrees, and graduate certificates. Five of these can be completed entirely online, and two dozen offer accelerated, dual-degree completion options for qualified undergraduates.

Materials required for admission include official high school transcripts, an essay, a school counselor recommendation, and a list of extracurricular activities. The university does not require students to submit ACT and SAT scores.

The University of Wisconsin Parkside sits on 700 acres in Kenosha. Roughly 4,300 students enjoy a vibrant residential campus with more than 70 clubs and organizations, NCAA athletics teams, arts and culture events, and several dining options.

UW-Parkside boasts four colleges: arts and humanities; business, economics, and computing; natural and health sciences; and social sciences and professional studies. Undergraduates can choose from 35 certificates, 14 pre-professional programs, seven associate degrees, and nearly 100 majors and minors for bachelor's degree customization. The graduate school features 12 master's degrees, many of which offer flexible online formats.

Prospective students must supply official high school transcripts and ACT or SAT scores. UW-Parkside accepts applications on a rolling basis.

Saint Norbert College is a Catholic liberal arts school located in De Pere. As the only Norbertine college in the world, St. Norbert follows the tradition of radical hospitality, welcoming nearly 2,200 students of all backgrounds and personal beliefs. St. Norbert offers a four-year graduation guarantee and a 14-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Undergraduates can access more than 40 academic and pre-professional programs. Represented areas of study include accounting, global business, German education, music performance, and psychology. St. Norbert also offers graduate education leading to three master's degrees: liberal arts, business administration, and theological studies. The school encourages students to get involved in extra- and co-curricular activities, including clubs, organizations, the honors program, study abroad programs, and faculty-led research opportunities.

Required submission materials include high school transcripts, ACT or SAT scores, and a letter of recommendation.

The University of Wisconsin Green Bay hosts a main campus and three regional campuses in Marinette, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan. Altogether, these locations enroll approximately 8,400 students each year.

Situated along one of the world's largest freshwater ecosystems, UW-Green Bay offers notable field study opportunities for biology students -- the school's most popular major. Other top undergraduate majors include business administration, computer science, and democracy and justice studies. A variety of undergraduate certificates as well as associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees feature fully online formats. Online options include a flexible associate of arts and sciences, an RN-to-BSN track, and a master of science in sustainable management.

First-year admission requirements include an essay, high school transcripts, and ACT or SAT scores. UW-Green Bay accepts applications on a rolling basis.

Located in Watertown, Maranatha Baptist University offers a private liberal arts education to about 1,100 students each year. Undergraduates join one of 10 campus societies, which encourage relationship development and community engagement through intramural sports, ministry, and other society-sponsored activities.

MBU's academic catalog encompasses 39 bachelor's degrees and nine master's degrees. Alongside traditional liberal arts programs in the arts, sciences, humanities, health, and education fields, MBU offers extensive degree options in biblical studies and church ministry. Undergraduate majors include biblical counseling, biblical languages, medical missions, and pastoral studies. MBU's campus also serves as home to a seminary and offers graduate education opportunities like a master of divinity and a doctor of ministry.

MBU bases admission on academic transcripts, ACT scores, character references, and a salvation testimony. Prospective students may also need to fill out church attendance forms and agree to a student conduct statement.

Ripon College is a private liberal arts college located in the historic city of the same name. Just over 800 undergraduates attend each year, the majority of whom live on campus. Ripon offers engagement opportunities through NCAA athletics, Greek life, and more than 60 student clubs.

Ripon's innovative Catalyst curriculum includes five required seminar courses. Catalyst students develop independent and collaborative skills, working with faculty to propose solutions to large, open-ended questions. The Catalyst curriculum culminates in an applied innovation concentration.

Students can further customize their bachelor's degree by choosing from 31 majors, 42 minors, and pre-professional tracks. Available disciplines include communication, educational studies, foreign languages, mathematics, and physical science.

Incoming first-year students must supply high school transcripts. ACT or SAT test scores, personal statements, and interviews are optional. Ripon waives the application fee for all students who apply before the priority scholarship application deadline.

Edgewood College is a Catholic school located on a 55-acre suburban campus in Madison. In the Dominican tradition, each member of EC's faculty, staff, and student body commits to a lifelong search for truth and the pursuit of a just, compassionate world.

Approximately 2,200 students attend EC each year, pursuing on-site and online bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Four main schools offer degrees related to the arts and sciences, business, education, and nursing. A fifth school -- the School of Integrative Studies (SoIS) -- offers more than a dozen programs designed to create intellectually engaged and ethical problem solvers. Notable SoIS options include an ethnic studies major, a global studies minor, and a master of arts in social innovation and sustainability leadership.

Undergraduate admission requirements include high school transcripts and ACT or SAT scores. Additional entrance requirements may apply for applicants interested in nursing or education. Students from all spiritual backgrounds may apply.

Viterbo University is a Roman Catholic liberal arts institution located in La Crosse. The university is one of 24 members in the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities. The school attracts a coeducational student body of approximately 2,600 learners each year and offers small class sizes, NAIA athletics, on-site housing, and more than 80 organizations.

Viterbo offers more than 40 academic programs at the associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. Represented disciplines include nursing, health and human behavior, business, education, humanities, performing arts, and STEM. Viterbo emphasizes the importance of hands-on education and provides meaningful internship, research, service learning, and study abroad opportunities. Online options include three bachelor's completion programs and four master's degrees.

Viterbo charges no application fee. Prospective first-year students must provide high school transcripts and test scores. The university also encourages applicants to submit letters of recommendation and personal statements. Additional entrance requirements apply for nursing, music, and theatre students.

Each year, Northland College offers approximately 600 full-time undergraduates a liberal arts education with a progressive focus on the environment and sustainability. The school's 220-acre residential campus in Ashland offers NCAA athletics, various clubs and organizations, and easy access to outdoor recreation.

Many of Northland's academic programs focus directly on the environment, including majors like climate science, ecological restoration, forestry, and water science. Other programs include Native American studies, psychology, education, and writing. Students can access top internships, hands-on engagement opportunities, and unique Northland offerings like "pens and paddles" -- an experiential English course combining literary study and wilderness fieldwork. Undergraduates can also engage in graduate-level research related to freshwater issues, biology, rural communities, geosciences, and other fields.

Northland accepts applications on a rolling basis. Prospective first-year students must supply high school transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores.

The University of Wisconsin Stout is located in Menomonie. It serves as a public, polytechnic school dedicated to developing career-ready graduates through a combination of liberal arts education and applied learning.

Academic offerings at UW-Stout include art, design, and graphics; business and management; education; human and social sciences; information technology and communication; and STEM. Students can select from 50 undergraduate degrees and more than 20 graduate degrees. Fields include plastics engineering, game design and development, dietetics, and counseling. More than 50 certificates and degrees also feature online learning methods.

Prospective students must submit high school transcripts and ACT or SAT scores. UW-Stout encourages early applications to increase scholarship eligibility.

Founded in 1913, Mount Mary University was Wisconsin's first four-year Catholic college for women. Today, this Milwaukee institution enrolls approximately 1,400 students each year. While Mount Mary's 30 undergraduate tracks remain open exclusively to women, the school's nine graduate programs are coeducational.

Mount Mary welcomes students of all faiths and beliefs. Its 80-acre campus offers on-site housing, dining, clubs and organizations, and NCAA athletics. Mount Mary serves as home to several notable degree programs, including a professional doctorate of art therapy -- the first program of its kind in the U.S. Other available fields of study include creative writing, food science, interior design, and public relations.

Prospective first-time students can apply by submitting the Common Application or by visiting Mount Mary's online portal. The school requires students to submit high school transcripts and ACT or SAT scores. Undergraduates interested in the RN-to-BSN completion program must complete a separate application process.

Affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Wisconsin Lutheran College sits on 40 acres between Milwaukee and Wauwatosa. Approximately 1,200 learners enroll each year, partaking in residence life, clubs and organizations, NCAA athletics, and abundant ministry and service opportunities.

All first-year students at WLC take strength-based evaluations and participate in seminar courses to assist with academic and career planning. Available undergraduate majors include art and graphic design, criminal justice, English, marine biology, and sport and exercise science. WLC also offers two accelerated bachelor's degrees for adults, four master's degrees, and 11 dual-degree programs in partnership with other institutions. Dual-degree disciplines include chiropractic studies, dentistry, law, and physical therapy.

WLC accepts applications on a rolling basis. The college requires applicants to submit official transcripts and ACT or SAT scores.