Best colleges for Business Administration in Wisconsin
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Marquette University and University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in Wisconsin by graduate earnings. University of Wisconsin-Madison leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $67,699, College Scorecard. University of Wisconsin-Parkside, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and University of Wisconsin-Madison award the most Business Administration degrees in Wisconsin: 318, 296 and 248 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 51 Wisconsin colleges offer Business Administration and award 5,045 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Public · Bachelor's degree | $67,699 | 248 | 90% | — | $20,500 |
| 2 | Marquette University Milwaukee Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $63,285 | 161 | 83% | $25,376 | $26,633 |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh Public · Bachelor's degree | $57,809 | 110 | 46% | — | $25,000 |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,774 | 72 | 49% | — | $26,000 |
| 5 | Concordia University - Wisconsin Mequon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $56,347 | 143 | 68% | $24,409 | $27,625 |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater Public · Bachelor's degree | $55,477 | 158 | 59% | — | $24,564 |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie Public · Bachelor's degree | $54,826 | 180 | 55% | — | $27,000 |
| 8 | Viterbo University La Crosse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $53,852 | 69 | 68% | $20,655 | $30,975 |
| 9 | Carthage College Kenosha Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $53,555 | 52 | 64% | $22,844 | $27,000 |
| 10 | Lakeland University Plymouth Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $53,132 | 132 | 42% | $20,767 | $28,156 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northcentral Technical College Wausau Public · Certificate | $60,405 | 73 | 45% | — | $9,840 |
| 2 | Mid-State Technical College Wisconsin Rapids Public · Associate degree | $47,268 | 86 | 52% | — | $16,044 |
| 3 | Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac Public · Associate degree | $46,719 | 139 | 58% | — | $13,999 |
| 4 | Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee Public · Associate degree | $44,016 | 118 | 44% | — | $18,019 |
| 5 | Northwood Technical College Rice Lake Public · Associate degree | $41,564 | 30 | 56% | — | $12,954 |
| 6 | Western Technical College La Crosse Public · Associate degree | $40,548 | 181 | 34% | — | $17,054 |
| 7 | Gateway Technical College Kenosha Public · Certificate | $40,426 | 157 | 51% | — | $15,750 |
| 8 | Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore Public · Associate degree | $40,415 | 31 | 66% | — | $11,750 |
| 9 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay Public · Associate degree | $40,091 | 210 | 51% | — | $16,134 |
| 10 | Lakeshore Technical College Cleveland Public · Associate degree | $39,684 | 38 | 50% | — | $13,042 |
Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in Wisconsin
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside Kenosha Public | 318 | Not reported |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Eau Claire Public | 296 | $46,254 |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Public | 248 | $67,699 |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie Public | 180 | $54,826 |
| 5 | Marquette University Milwaukee Private not-for-profit | 161 | $63,285 |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Green Bay Public | 161 | $48,709 |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater Public | 158 | $55,477 |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point Public | 156 | $47,454 |
| 9 | Concordia University - Wisconsin Mequon Private not-for-profit | 143 | $56,347 |
| 10 | Lakeland University Plymouth Private not-for-profit | 132 | $53,132 |
ShowHide the other 41 Wisconsin colleges offering Business Administration
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in Wisconsin
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in Wisconsin.
Which Wisconsin colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+
University of Wisconsin-Parkside (318 graduates a year), University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (296 graduates a year) and University of Wisconsin-Madison (248 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in Wisconsin, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 51 Wisconsin colleges offer Business Administration.
What is the best college for Business Administration in Wisconsin?+
By graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Madison leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in Wisconsin, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $67,699, College Scorecard. Marquette University and University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh follow. By degrees awarded, University of Wisconsin-Parkside is the largest, with 318 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business Administration program in Wisconsin has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Wisconsin-Madison tops the list at $67,699. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Wisconsin?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Wisconsin is $140,350 (median $118,730), across about 36,910 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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