All 13 University of Wisconsin campuses, ranked from best to worst

Photo courtesy of Bucky Badger via Instagram.

By Holly Garcia

May 28, 2024

This story was last updated Nov 14, 2024.

From UW Madison to UW Parkside, we compared all 13 University of Wisconsin campuses on factors like tuition, class size, graduation rate, and more.

Choosing where to pursue your higher education is a big decision, but that first choice is only one of many you’ll make on this journey to college. Even after you’ve narrowed your search to a University of Wisconsin school, there are still plenty of campuses to choose from—13, to be exact.

To help aid this search, ask and answer a few questions about what you want out of your educational experience. Is there a specific career path that you want to follow? Do you feel more at home on a large campus, or is smaller more your style? Is it beneficial for you to have smaller class sizes? And equally importantly, how much are you willing to invest financially?

CAMPUS CLASH: The most distinct differences between all 13 UW system schools

All 13 UW campuses have unique features and notable benefits, but we reviewed each campus’ tuition expense*, class size, campus size, and gradation rate to rank all 13 University of Wisconsin schools from best to worst. Go ahead—check out all the options to help you choose the best one for you.

*Please note that the tuition costs quoted for each UW school were sourced from each location’s website for undergraduate programs, not including additional housing costs. Additionally, campus sizes are defined as Small (less than 5,000 annual enrollment), Medium (between 5,000 and 15,000), and large (15,000 or more).

1. UW Madison

Average In-State Tuition: $11,606

Average Class Size: 28 students

Campus Size: Large

Graduation Rate: 75%

Notable Highlights:

UW Madison was ranked the 12th-best public university in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in 2024, with exceptional programs in Engineering, Business, and Computer Science.
The Peace Corps ranked UW Madison as the top volunteer-producing university in 2023.
Because of UW Madison football, Madison is consistently rated one of the best college football towns in the United States.

The Lake Mendota shoreline is pictured in an aerial view of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus looking toward the downtown Madison skyline during an autumn sunset on Oct. 5, 2011. Major campus facilities pictured from center to right include Memorial Library, Armory and Gymnasium (Red Gym), the Memorial Union Terrace and Helen C. White Hall. On the horizon is the Wisconsin State Capitol and Lake Monona. The photograph was made from a helicopter looking southeast.

Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison

2. UW La Crosse

Average In-State Tuition: $10,193 (2024-2025)

Average Class Size: 26 students

Campus Size: Medium

Graduation rate: 55%

Notable Highlights:

UW La Crosse has a very active student body with over 200 student organizations.
The school’s motto is “mind and body,” focusing on the holistic student experience and setting up their students for success.

3. UW Eau Claire

Average In-State Tuition: $9,783 (2024-2025)

Average Class Size: 26 students

Campus Size: Medium

Graduation rate: 45%

Notable Highlights:

In 2023, UW Eau Claire was ranked a best of the best LGBTQIA+ Friendly College by Campus Pride.
UW Eau Claire is the third-highest-ranked university among all public schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Its most popular degree programs are Business, Health Professionals (Nursing), and Education.

Photo courtesy of Wikideas1/CC0 1.0.

4. UW Whitewater

Average In-State Tuition: $8,616 (2024-2025)

Average Class Size: 23 students

Campus Size: Medium

Graduation rate: 43%

Notable Highlights:

UW Whitewater boasts a 99.5% rate of employment or enrollment in continuing education after graduation (within a year). They also have a student and alum job board, Handshake, utilized by over 16,000 employers.
While UW Whitewater offers several areas of study, new and notable programs include legal studies, cybersecurity, and computer science.

5. UW Platteville

Average In-State Tuition: $8,385 (2023-2024)

Average Class Size: 22 students

Campus Size: Medium

Graduation rate: 34%

Notable Highlights:

UW Platteville’s programs are leaders in science, technology, agriculture, education, and engineering fields, with unique initiatives in forensic investigation and renewable energy.
Their top three programs are Mechanical Engineering, Business, and Criminal Justice and Safety Studies.

6. UW River Falls

Average In-State Tuition: $8,6060 (2023-2024)

Average Class Size: 22 students

Campus Size: Medium

Graduation Rate: 43%

Notable Highlights:

Offering over 70 areas of study, UW River Falls is renowned for programs in STEM, Agricultural Sciences, and Teacher Education.
The campus is a Bee Campus USA affiliate for a national program that recognizes, supports, and encourages pollinator conservation.

7. UW Greenbay

Average In-State Tuition: $4,360 (2024-2025)

Average Class Size: 25 students

Campus Size: Medium

Graduation Rate: 40%

Notable Highlights:

This school is great for student-athletes as they’re part of the NCAA Division I.
UW Greenbay’s top five programs include Psychology, Organizational Leadership, Business Administration, Human Biology, and Computer Science.

Photo courtesy of uwgb admissions/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

8. UW Stevens Point

Average In-State Tuition: $3,555 (2023-2024)

Average Class Size: 25 students

Campus Size: Medium

Graduation rate: 39%

Notable Highlights:

After graduation, the top three fields in which students start a career are education, health care, and government.
UW Stevens Point offers 100% online, accredited degree options.

9. UW Milwaukee

Average In-State Tuition: $10,398 (2024-2025)

Average Class Size: 23 students

Campus Size: Large

Graduation rate: 32%

Notable Highlights:

UW Milwaukee offers over 200 degree programs. Notably, it is also home to a top film program, the state’s largest school of education, and Wisconsin’s only bachelor’s program in ASL/English interpretation.
They’re also one of two top-tier research universities recognized in Wisconsin by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (meaning they’re committed to a full range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree paths).

10. UW Oshkosh

Average In-State Tuition: $4,105 (2023-2024)

Average Class Size: 21 students

Campus Size: Medium

Graduation Rate: 30%

Notable Highlights:

UW Oshkosh’s Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation makes it the only nationally accredited business school in NE Wisconsin (awarded to only 5% of the world’s business schools).
Nursing Schools Almanac recently ranked UWO among the top 100 public nursing schools in the nation.

A sign reading "University of Wisconsin Oshkosh"

Photo courtesy of Royalbroil/CC BY-SA 2.5.

11. UW Superior

Average In-State Tuition Cost: $8,490 (2024-2025)

Average Class Size: 17 students

Campus Size: Small

Graduation Rate: 30%

Notable Highlights:

The campus includes four world-class research centers: Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute, Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, Lake Superior Research Institute, and Transportation and Logistics Research Center.
Its top three academic programs are Elementary Education, Business Administration, and Physical Education; they offer over 60 different areas of study.

12. UW Stout

Average In-State Cost: $10,701 (2024-2025)

Average Class Size: 22 students

Campus Size: Medium

Graduation Rate: 28%

Notable Highlights:

UW Stout is known as a Polytech University, meaning its studies are career-focused and technology-driven. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees based on applied learning and research.
This campus also reports its students have a 99% rate of employment or continuing education after graduation.