2025 Wisconsin Colleges Graduation Rate Comparison
For the academic year 2023-2024, the average graduation rate at Wisconsin colleges is 58.5%. The graduation rate is calculated by number of completers by dividing number of candidates. The completers have completed their degree/certificate within 150% of normal time, for example within 6 years for 4-years BS degree program. The average transfer-out rate is 13.6% and the average retention rate is 74.4% (full-time students).
Wisconsin College Graduation, Transfer-out, Retention Rate Statistics
The next list shows the colleges with the highest and lowest graduation rate and more relative statistics. For that, we include only 4-year colleges and having more than 500 enrolled students.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison has the highest graduation rate of 90% and Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa has the lowest graduation rate of 20% and .
- Marian University has the highest transfer-out rate of 35% and Maranatha Baptist University has the lowest transfer-out rate of 1% and .
- University of Wisconsin-Madison has the highest retention rate of 96% and Herzing University-Madison has the lowest retention rate of 40% and .
Graduation Rate Comparison Between Wisconsin Colleges
The following table lists Wisconsin colleges with graduation, transfer-out, and retention rate. The graduation rate is based on the number of completers who completed their program within 150% normal time (i.e. within 6 years for 4 years B.S. degrees).
You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles and narrow down the college list by using the buttons below.
| College Name | Graduation Rate | Transfer-out Rate | Retention Rate (full-time) | Retention Rate (part-time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICI Beauty School Greenfield, WI Private, 2-4 years | 88% | - | 100% | - |
| Alverno College Milwaukee, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 49% | - | 61% | 25 |
| Madison Area Technical College Madison, WI Public, 2-4 years | 29% | 18% | - | - |
| Bellin College Green Bay, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 63% | - | 95% | 100 |
| Beloit College Beloit, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 71% | - | 81% | - |
| Blackhawk Technical College Janesville, WI Public, 2-4 years | 34% | 5% | 60% | 54 |
| Carroll University Waukesha, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 71% | - | 78% | 50 |
| Carthage College Kenosha, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 64% | - | 73% | - |
| Concordia University-Wisconsin Mequon, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 68% | - | 78% | - |
| Edgewood University Madison, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 60% | 33% | 73% | - |
| Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI Public, 2-4 years | 65% | 5% | 80% | 64 |
| Gateway Technical College Kenosha, WI Public, 2-4 years | 51% | - | 71% | 63 |
| The Professional Hair Design Academy Eau Claire, WI Private, 2-4 years | 76% | - | 88% | 67 |
| Lakeland University Plymouth, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 42% | - | 63% | 33 |
| Lakeshore Technical College Cleveland, WI Public, 2-4 years | 50% | 8% | 67% | 59 |
| Lawrence University Appleton, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 77% | - | 87% | 100 |
| Maranatha Baptist University Watertown, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 64% | 1% | 88% | 80 |
| Marian University Fond Du Lac, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 44% | 35% | 67% | 75 |
| Marquette University Milwaukee, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 83% | - | 91% | 75 |
| Mid-State Technical College Wisconsin Rapids, WI Public, 2-4 years | 52% | 3% | 73% | 62 |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WI Public, 2-4 years | 25% | 16% | 64% | 50 |
| Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Milwaukee, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 67% | 9% | 80% | - |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 67% | 22% | 84% | - |
| Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac, WI Public, 2-4 years | 58% | 7% | 79% | 72 |
| Mount Mary University Milwaukee, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 43% | 34% | 67% | - |
| Nicolet Area Technical College Rhinelander, WI Public, 2-4 years | 44% | 16% | 62% | 62 |
| Northcentral Technical College Wausau, WI Public, 2-4 years | 45% | 7% | 59% | 48 |
| Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay, WI Public, 2-4 years | 51% | 11% | 74% | 51 |
| Northland College Ashland, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 50% | 14% | 31% | - |
| Ripon College Ripon, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 63% | - | 72% | - |
| Saint Norbert College De Pere, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 71% | 1% | 84% | - |
| State College of Beauty Culture Wausau, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 90% | - | 78% | 100 |
| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore, WI Public, 2-4 years | 66% | 3% | 70% | 50 |
| Viterbo University La Crosse, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 68% | - | 76% | - |
| Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire, WI Public, 2-4 years | 50% | 7% | 72% | 55 |
| Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee, WI Public, 2-4 years | 44% | 10% | 78% | 70 |
| Western Technical College La Crosse, WI Public, 2-4 years | 34% | 18% | 45% | 49 |
| University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 59% | - | 78% | 44 |
| Northwood Technical College Rice Lake, WI Public, 2-4 years | 56% | 7% | 80% | 69 |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 64% | - | 82% | 50 |
| University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Green Bay, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 48% | - | 66% | 30 |
| University of Wisconsin-La Crosse La Crosse, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 71% | - | 87% | 50 |
| Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 64% | 27% | 73% | - |
| University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 46% | - | 69% | 38 |
| University of Wisconsin-Parkside Kenosha, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 40% | - | 69% | 43 |
| Herzing University-Madison Madison, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 28% | - | 40% | 77 |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 55% | - | 79% | 40 |
| University of Wisconsin-Superior Superior, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 42% | - | 72% | 25 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 90% | - | 96% | 81 |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 49% | - | 73% | 27 |
| University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 56% | - | 79% | 50 |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 57% | - | 76% | 64 |
| University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 51% | - | 74% | 32 |
| Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University Hayward, WI Public, 4 years four-years | 23% | - | 100% | - |
| Empire Beauty School-Green Bay Ashwaubenon, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 73% | - | 95% | - |
| College of Menominee Nation Keshena, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 32% | - | - | - |
| Empire Beauty School-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 47% | - | 48% | - |
| Milwaukee Career College Milwaukee, WI Private, 2-4 years | 44% | - | 50% | - |
| Rasmussen University-Wisconsin Green Bay, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 57% | - | - | - |
| The Institute of Beauty and Wellness Milwaukee, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 90% | - | 93% | 88 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa Wauwatosa, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 20% | 24% | 43% | - |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Appleton Appleton, WI Private, 2-4 years | 82% | - | 88% | - |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Onalaska Onalaska, WI Private, 2-4 years | 93% | - | 94% | - |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Milwaukee Wauwatosa, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 8% | - | 83% | 100 |
| Herzing University-Kenosha Kenosha, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 72% | - | 57% | 86 |
| Herzing University-Brookfield Brookfield, WI Private, 4 years four-years | 42% | - | 40% | - |
| Advanced College of Cosmetology Waupun, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 88% | - | 94% | - |
| First Class Cosmetology School Beloit, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 86% | - | 87% | - |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Kenosha Kenosha, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 70% | - | 70% | 72 |
| Shepherds College Union Grove, WI Private, 2-4 years | 61% | - | 73% | - |
| East-West Healing Arts Institute Madison, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 87% | - | - | - |
| The Institute of Beauty and Wellness Madison Madison, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 97% | - | 83% | 93 |
| Academy of Beauty Professionals Madison, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 93% | - | 100% | 100 |
| Academy of Beauty Professionals Appleton, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 79% | - | 75% | 100 |
| Academy of Beauty Professionals Green Bay, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 56% | - | 67% | 86 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Janesville Janesville, WI Private, Less than 2 years | 31% | - | 95% | 69 |
| Average | 58% | 14% | 74% | 62 |
Most Compared Wisconsin Colleges
The following Wisconsin college pairs are frequently compared by users. You can compare the schools by their most important academic factors such as acceptance rate and tuition.