Best colleges for Business/Commerce in Wisconsin
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Edgewood University are the top bachelor's Business/Commerce programs in Wisconsin by graduate earnings. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $49,965, College Scorecard. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee award the most Business/Commerce degrees in Wisconsin: 343, 294 and 167 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 11 Wisconsin colleges offer Business/Commerce and award 994 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business/Commerce program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of business management, marketing, and related services. This program is ideal for those interested in pursuing a career in…
Top 6 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-Whitewater Whitewater Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,965 | 343 | 59% | — | $25,675 |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,570 | 167 | 49% | — | $27,000 |
| 3 | Edgewood University Madison Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,413 | 41 | 60% | $23,822 | $27,000 |
| 4 | Saint Norbert College De Pere Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,827 | 37 | 71% | $23,319 | $26,697 |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $57,853 | 7 | 46% | — | — |
| 6 | Ripon College Ripon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $43,757 | 11 | 63% | $19,267 | $27,000 |
Top certificate or associate program
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 | Bryant & Stratton College - Wauwatosa Wauwatosa Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $30,059 | 44 | 20% | $15,767 | $24,509 |
Colleges awarding the most Business/Commerce 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-Whitewater Whitewater Public | 343 | $49,965 |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Public | 294 | Not reported |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee Public | 167 | $45,570 |
| 4 | Edgewood University Madison Private not-for-profit | 41 | $45,413 |
| 5 | Saint Norbert College De Pere Private not-for-profit | 37 | $44,827 |
| 6 | Lawrence University Appleton Private not-for-profit | 26 | Not reported |
| 7 | Maranatha Baptist University Watertown Private not-for-profit | 13 | Not reported |
| 8 | Concordia University - Wisconsin Mequon Private not-for-profit | 11 | Not reported |
| 9 | Ripon College Ripon Private not-for-profit | 11 | $43,757 |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh Public | 7 | $57,853 |
ShowHide the other 1 Wisconsin colleges offering Business/Commerce
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryant & Stratton College - Wauwatosa | Wauwatosa | Private not-for-profit | 44 |
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/Commerce programs in Wisconsin.
Which Wisconsin colleges award the most Business/Commerce degrees?+
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (343 graduates a year), University of Wisconsin-Madison (294 graduates a year) and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (167 graduates a year) award the most Business/Commerce degrees in Wisconsin, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 11 Wisconsin colleges offer Business/Commerce.
What is the best college for Business/Commerce in Wisconsin?+
By graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater leads among bachelor's Business/Commerce programs in Wisconsin, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $49,965, College Scorecard. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Edgewood University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is the largest, with 343 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business/Commerce program in Wisconsin has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater tops the list at $49,965. 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/Commerce program?+
The Business/Commerce program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of business management, marketing, and related services. This program is ideal for those interested in pursuing a career in…
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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