Wisconsin
Student Access & Success
Wisconsin’s four-year institutions receive an average grade in this area, ranking in the top third of states for completion and retention rates but near the bottom for the percentage of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants. The state’s two-year institutions, however, receive a very good grade in this area, ranking in the top 10 states in credentials per 100 full-time equivalent undergraduates and completion rate.
Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness
Wisconsin receives a good grade in this area for four-year institutions, with both cost per completion ($63,146) and state and local funding per completion ($31,957) below the national medians of $68,140 and $41,198, respectively. Wisconsin’s two-year institutions, however, receive a very low grade, with a cost per completion ($71,226) and state and local funding per completion ($57,071) in the bottom 10 of all states.
Meeting Labor Market Demand
The median wage of a Wisconsin bachelor’s degree holder is approximately $17,700 (or 54%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate for a bachelor’s degree holder is about 4 points lower. The median wage of an associate’s degree holder is approximately $7,800 (or 24%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate is about 3 points lower.
Transparency & Accountability
The state’s consumer information source includes information on student outcomes but overall the state performs below average in this area. Wisconsin does not track student labor market outcomes, nor does it measure student learning.
Policy Environment
The University of Wisconsin (UW) system’s growth agenda includes goals for increasing degrees, but not for student outcomes or system efficiency. The UW Transfer Information System includes a useful portal with course equivalencies for individual courses within the UW system. The state does not have outcomes-based funding.
Innovation
The University of Wisconsin eCampus portal offers online degree programs for both four- and two-year institutions in the UW system and provides prospective students with clear information about eligibility and transfer of online courses. Regarding new providers, Wisconsin has a highly restrictive regulatory environment that asserts jurisdiction over any institution that enrolls Wisconsin residents.
Report Card
Compare with
Four-Year Institutions
WI Nat'l| Student Access & Success | C |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 21.8 | 30.8 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 80.1 | 77.9 |
| Completion Rate | 59.8 | 54.5 |
| Completions per 100 FTE Students | 19.7 | 19.7 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 3 | |
| Complete College America |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | B |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $63,146 | $68,140 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $31,957 | $41,198 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $63,338 | $76,932 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined Measure (5-point scale) | 4 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | C |
|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $17,639 | $17,881 |
|---|---|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 153.5 | 156.0 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $12,153 | $12,703 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 142.9 | 149.9 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 3.9 | 4.0 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 2.2 | 2.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 6.5 | 7.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 3.1 | 2.9 |
| Transparency & Accountability | D |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 2 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | false | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
Two-Year Institutions
WI Nat'l| Student Access & Success | A |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 46.6 | 46.9 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 58.6 | 58.6 |
| Completion Rate | 31.7 | 20.5 |
| Completions Per 100 FTE Undergraduates | 23.5 | 16.8 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 5 |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | F |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $71,226 | $57,210 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $57,071 | $35,476 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $69,829 | $52,512 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined MeasureCombined Measure (5-point Scale) | 1 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | C |
|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $7,800 | $8,545 |
|---|---|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 123.6 | 126.1 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $7,090 | $6,595 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 125.0 | 125.0 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 2.8 | 2.7 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 5.4 | 4.9 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 2.26 | 1.84 |
| Transparency & Accountability | F |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | false | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
State
WI Nat'l| Policy Environment | D |
|---|
| State Goals (6-point Scale) | 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Does the State Have Outcomes-Based Funding? | false | |
| Four-Year Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Two-Years Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Have a Credit Transfer Policy? | true | |
| Credit Transfer Policy (5-point Scale) | 4 |
| Innovation: Openness to Providers | F |
|---|
| Numerical Openness to New Providers Grade | 50% | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory Jurisdiction | 40% | |
| Financial Burden | 60% | |
| Approval Process Burden | 50% |
| Innovation: Online Learning | B |
|---|
| Numerical Online Learning Grade | 71.4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Online Learning Score (7-point Scale) | 5 |
State Facts at a Glance
- Number of Public Four-Year Institutions 13
- Number of Public Two-Year Institutions 17
- Number of Students Served by Public Four-Year Institutions 126744
- Number of Students Served by Public Two-Year Institutions 81557