2021 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin

About this List

The Top Public Universities ranking is based on rigorous analysis of academic, admissions, financial, and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along for millions of reviews from students and alumni. The ranking compares over 500 public colleges and state universities. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.

Best Colleges

17 results

University of Wisconsin
4 Year
Madison, WI
Rating 3.87 out of 5 3,204 reviews
#1 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin
Freshman: UW-Madison is a great college! I personally enjoyed the social scene and the beautiful campus. Not only are there multiple course options, but most of the courses offered are extremely interesting. The classes can be time-consuming and difficult depending on your major of study. The hard-work pays off though. Professors are really understanding, especially because of the current pandemic. Madison has a great support system for their students and offers really great resources for tutoring. There is also a great variety of extracurriculars at Wisconsin. If you are interested in joining a fraternity or a sorority, rest assured that Madison's Greek life is very active. If Greek life isn't your style, there are still plenty of other ways to make friends and have fun. Weekends are always a good time at Madison. The bar scene on-campus is fun as well. A good rule of thumb for future UW-Madison students is "Work hard, play hard." Attending UW-Madison will produce a fun college experience!
Read 3,204 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
54% Acceptance Rate
$16,103 Net Price
1300-1480 SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
4 Year
La Crosse, WI
Rating 3.72 out of 5 1,568 reviews
#2 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin
Freshman: I’m an incoming freshman into the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse, and I’m already super eager and excited to start school and learn new things. The campus is beautiful, including an amazing football field, students with smiles on their faces, and beautiful brick buildings. I’m majoring in chemistry and they just got a new science building, that is so exciting! The ceiling shows wires going around the building and it makes me even more excited about learning chemistry. In addition to the beautiful campus, La Crosse has a very high graduating rate, high student focus, and an amazing view on life as we go on into being independent adults. I rate the University of Wisconsin La Crosse five stars because they give the students what they want, and they honestly deserve it. The low tuition is a terrific benefit as well, as my parents also agree.
Read 1,568 Reviews
grade A minus
Overall Niche Grade
73% Acceptance Rate
$12,167 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
Virtual Tour
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
4 Year
Eau Claire, WI
Rating 3.57 out of 5 1,428 reviews
#3 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin
Freshman: This college has a really gorgeous campus and a lot of fun opportunities that include floating down the river, a rock climbing course and beach volleyball among other things! Although I wish that there was more diversity throughout the campus, there are a lot of really amazing opportunities for leadership in diversity and equity clubs, along with other clubs and opportunities to help be apart of social change. The intramural clubs and sports have been really fun and UWEC has found a safe way for students to be involved in sports and activities during the global pandemic. I am a biochemistry major on a pre-med route and I have also been able to be a part of a lot of Pre-medicine preparation clubs and meetings, which have been very helpful in regards of what classes to take and where to volunteer to help me get to medical school.
Read 1,428 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
82% Acceptance Rate
$14,010 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
Virtual Tour
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
4 Year
Whitewater, WI
Rating 3.61 out of 5 1,332 reviews
#4 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin
Alum: Overall my time at UW Whitewater was wonderful! I met some of my best friends there, learned a lot from all of my professors, and enjoyed campus a lot. I lived in student housing for the first two years, and the dorms were, overall, a good experience. They were clean and maintained, and fairly central to everywhere I needed to be on campus. All of the professors were very well versed in their subjects and always seemed to be willing to answer questions and speak with students about anything they needed. Creating my schedule was easy as well through the online applications. I had a job on campus and competed with the Forensics team, which was an amazing experience itself. Competing with the team allowed me to travel and reach farther than my comfort zone to grow my public speaking skills and fight for things that I believe in. I personally found most of the staff helpful and friendly throughout campus. As many schools, some of the dining areas need some improvements.
Read 1,332 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
79% Acceptance Rate
$12,309 Net Price
890-1110 SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
4 Year
Milwaukee, WI
Rating 3.52 out of 5 3,177 reviews
#5 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin
Senior: I am a transfer student from UW-Oshkosh, I am now a senior pursuing a double major in Physics and Biomedical Engineering. I am 21 years old. I completed my physics portion at UW-Oshkosh but since they do not have the Biomedical portion I had to transfer to UW-Milwaukee. Cool thing about it though is that all my credits transferred with no problem because it is a dual degree; meaning UW-Oshkosh and UW-Milwaukee will provide 2 degrees for me for when I graduate from my undergraduate.

I am pleased with the amount of things I am able to do on and off of campus even with the pandemic happening. Although meeting other students may be a challenge, it is a pleasant environment once on campus! All the buildings provide free resources and free WiFi! The professors are also very understanding during these hard times and are more than happy to help students who have questions! I am one of those students who ask various questions so do not be scared to walk out of your comfort zone!
Read 3,177 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
77% Acceptance Rate
$14,822 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
University of Wisconsin - Superior
4 Year
Superior, WI
Rating 3.5 out of 5 270 reviews
#6 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin
Freshman: The international admission team is the best admission team in the Universe, as compared to other international admission team of other Universities and Colleges, that means diversity at University of wisconsin Super stand tall above other diversities in United State of America, the professors are amazing in all aspects, they really deliver to achieve world class education, where students has hands on skills to face the challenges of this advance world. Trust me, the Chancellor Renee and vice Chancellor Marie Curso are in these high position of University of Wisconsin Superior not by mistake, they deserve heights to steer the University, their experience has reach to the extreme of this world, including Africa, especially Uganda.
Read 270 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
82% Acceptance Rate
$12,695 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
University of Wisconsin - Platteville
4 Year
Platteville, WI
Rating 3.58 out of 5 1,058 reviews
#7 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin
Graduate Student: Quality instructors who understand the material.Clean modules, supportive faculty, and academic advisors are readily available. Preview week is setup for you to get started before the term begins, as there are assignments due weekly, which is beneficial. Assignments include discussions, team projects, quizzes, and papers, all with a fair grading system. Canvas has a user friendly interface, and instructors post their material in a timely manner. Advisors are there to help you each step of the way, and are knowledgeable and supportive. Financial aid is available, but not so much for distance students, many local scholarships it seems. Online library is comprehensive and easy to navigate. Classes are geared towards your major, but also have plenty of elective classes, providing a diverse and well-round educational experience. Many classes are being converted to 8 week module, rather than a full 16 week term, allowing more options and to focus on one class at time
Read 1,058 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
85% Acceptance Rate
$14,611 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
University of Wisconsin - Stout
4 Year
Menomonie, WI
Rating 3.58 out of 5 993 reviews
#8 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin
Sophomore: My experience was great! Access to textbooks, reliable computers and internet across the campus, and the ability to build personal relationships with my professors were factors to my success there and after graduation.
I enjoyed my experience so much I am returning for a second degree and eventually my masters.
Read 993 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
91% Acceptance Rate
$14,767 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
Virtual Tour
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
4 Year
Stevens Point, WI
Rating 3.65 out of 5 1,092 reviews
#9 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin
Sophomore: Steven's Point WI is a charming small town that is just the right size to give a homey feel while still having plenty to do. The University is gorgeous and surrounded by nature, including its own reserve, Schmeekle. The class sizes are smaller and more personal, and the professors there are very invested in your academic future than other schools. The campus is known for its diversity and variety of majors and interests as well as student organizations! My personal favorite is the ukulele tree-climbers club.
Read 1,092 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
85% Acceptance Rate
$12,797 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
Virtual Tour
University of Wisconsin - River Falls
4 Year
River Falls, WI
Rating 3.56 out of 5 649 reviews
#10 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin
Graduate Student: I went here for my undergraduate in Psychology and am currently in my second year of their dual degree School Psychology graduate program. UWRF is a nice quality school for a much more reasonable price than other universities in the area and as a an undergrad your textbooks are included in tuition which was awesome. The career services office is awesome in helping your prepare for grad school or finding a job. If you are looking to party it may not be the best place for you, but you can still find parties if you really want to. I am a transgender man and it hasn't been a perfect experience and the campus is not very diverse, but they try. The professors in the Psychology, school psychology, and WGST programs were all awesome and I never had any trouble with them. The quality of education is good, you learn all the things you would at a larger institution, but with more opportunities to become involved in research and in general with your program and professors. I highly recommend RF
Read 649 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
79% Acceptance Rate
$13,530 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
4 Year
Oshkosh, WI
Rating 3.53 out of 5 1,386 reviews
Niche User: I will be an upcoming Freshman at the University of Oshkosh in the fall of 2021. So far I have only toured the campus, but I am in love with it! My tour guide was phenomenal and told me all about the amazing opportunities they offer to all students. She shared about the 5 hours of free tutoring provided on campus and students who will check over your essays. She even shared a personal story that really stuck with me. She had an essay that was due and was struggling with it so she took it to a student who could help. The student helped her raise her previous grade of C to an A. There are so many academic opportunities and the social life seems amazing. I cannot wait to attend the University this upcoming fall!
Read 1,386 Reviews
grade B minus
Overall Niche Grade
76% Acceptance Rate
$11,980 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
University of Wisconsin - Parkside
4 Year
Kenosha, WI
Rating 3.55 out of 5 518 reviews
Sophomore: At first I was just going to parkside because it is more affordable. When I got to Parkside and started studying I actually really began to like it. I am a STEM major and I realized how great their science department is! All of the other departments are great too, but I am most familiar with the science department. When I switched my major from Biology to Applied Health Sciences, many people were there to help me learn more about the fields within my major. I started to enjoy classes because professors made it interesting and some even made class funny! Also, if you’re lazy like me and don’t like walking far to go to class, Parkside is great. I can leave my dorm 5 minutes before class without having to rush!
Read 518 Reviews
grade B minus
Overall Niche Grade
66% Acceptance Rate
$10,154 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
4 Year
Green Bay, WI
Rating 3.53 out of 5 793 reviews
Freshman: I am a freshman on campus this year, and something that I really like about UWGB is its beautiful campus. I feel really involved with nature while I'm here, especially during the warmer months of the year. I also love the wide scope of majors that UWGB has to offer from Environmental Science to Theatre. A nice added benefit of going here is also the private bathrooms in the dorms. The university size is big enough to be exposed to many new people, but not too big that you're constantly sitting in packed lecture halls. I've found myself in rather small class sizes except for my online courses. I can't really critique UWGB right now because anything that is being done "badly" is a result of the coronavirus pandemic. I recommend UWGB to just about anyone!
Read 793 Reviews
grade B minus
Overall Niche Grade
85% Acceptance Rate
$11,839 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
Madison Area Technical College
4 Year
Madison, WI
Rating 3.69 out of 5 649 reviews
Junior: My major is Special Education Child Psychology, and the psychology classes here are great! The professors are very welcoming and willing to help you in any way they can. I just wish some professors would use Blackboard more and use email more, too. But I guess that is up to the professor's choice.

The food here is good, but the prices are expensive! Like one of those Starbucks Frappuccinos that you usually find in one of those coolers in a gas station are $3.15! Or a milk chug is $2.10! Even a hard-boiled egg is around $0.75! The prices should be much lower.

Student life is amazing! I write for the student newspaper and I love how diverse the paper is. You could write an opinion, a news story, a book review (or anything arts-related), you could take pictures of events or people and have that as your part of the paper, or you could join the graphic design team!
Read 649 Reviews
grade C+
Overall Niche Grade
100% Acceptance Rate
$9,138 Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
Madison Area Technical College Online Learning
4 Year
Madison, WI
grade unavailable
Overall Niche Grade
— Acceptance Rate
— Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Online
4 Year
Green Bay, WI
Rating 5 out of 5 2 reviews
Junior: The flexibility and variety of online classes are amazing. I spent a lot of time looking for the correct school that would work with my busy schedule and UW GB stood out in the areas that all the other colleges lacked. I cannot say enough good things about the University. I have had to meet online with my advisor several times to get classes set up and she has always been available and ready to help me with any questions I have.
Read 2 Reviews
grade unavailable
Overall Niche Grade
— Acceptance Rate
— Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Online
4 Year
Milwaukee, WI
grade unavailable
Overall Niche Grade
— Acceptance Rate
— Net Price
— SAT Range
Will You Get In?Compare
Sponsored
ECPI University - Richmond West, VA
Richmond, VA
Rating 4.38 out of 5 8 reviews
Freshman: So far ecpi had played a huge role in my life, I’ve been learning things about finance and becoming a successful student inside and outside of the classroom.
Read 8 Reviews
Will You Get In?Compare
Find Your Best Fit Colleges
Tailor your college search based on what matters most to you.
- SponsoredFind Student Loan Options
- 4 Ways to Pay for College
- 2021 Best College Food

2021 Top Public Universities in Wisconsin

Best Programs

Students

Social Scene

Campus

Athletics

University of Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

University of Wisconsin - Superior

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

University of Wisconsin - Stout

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

University of Wisconsin - Parkside

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Madison Area Technical College

Madison Area Technical College Online Learning

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Online

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Online

ECPI University - Richmond West, VA