Wisconsin · Teacher Education and Professional Development

Best colleges for Teacher Education and Professional Development in Wisconsin

Ranked by graduate earnings

Wisconsin Lutheran College, Carthage College and Edgewood University are the top bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development programs in Wisconsin by graduate earnings. Wisconsin Lutheran College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $49,485, College Scorecard. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Viterbo University award the most Teacher Education and Professional Development degrees in Wisconsin: 185, 182 and 119 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 44 Wisconsin colleges offer Teacher Education and Professional Development and award 2,238 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Teacher Education and Professional Development program, specifically focusing on various levels and methods, prepares individuals for careers in education. This program is designed for those who aspire to teach or work in educational…

Institutions
44
offering CIP 13.12
States & territories
57
with a program page
Degrees / yr
2,238
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$45,253
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
26
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,601
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
53%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
$36,500
BLS OEWS May 2025

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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Wisconsin Lutheran College
Milwaukee Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$49,4852764%$19,138$27,000
2Carthage College
Kenosha Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$47,1852864%$22,844$25,954
3Edgewood University
Madison Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$46,4582360%$23,822$27,000
4University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison Public · Bachelor's degree
$45,90610790%—$23,000
5Marquette University
Milwaukee Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$45,8063183%$25,376$23,250
6Carroll University
Waukesha Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$45,2533271%$22,601$27,000
7Viterbo University
La Crosse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$44,96111968%$20,655—
8Saint Norbert College
De Pere Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$44,8232871%$23,319$27,000
9Concordia University - Wisconsin
Mequon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$44,6129468%$24,409$27,000
10University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Oshkosh Public · Bachelor's degree
$44,4537046%—$27,000

Top 7 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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Fox Valley Technical College
Appleton Public · Associate degree
$27,5485565%—$11,000
2Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Green Bay Public · Associate degree
$27,20915351%—$15,835
3Waukesha County Technical College
Pewaukee Public · Associate degree
$26,8903744%—$20,876
4Chippewa Valley Technical College
Eau Claire Public · Associate degree
$23,7962250%—$11,125
5Northcentral Technical College
Wausau Public · Associate degree
$22,9816945%——
6Milwaukee Area Technical College
Milwaukee Public · Associate degree
$30,3028425%—$21,095
7Bryant & Stratton College - Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa Private not-for-profit · Associate degree Small program
$23,210220%$15,767$17,579

Colleges awarding the most Teacher Education and Professional Development 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.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
La Crosse Public
185$42,706
2University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater Public
182$43,611
3Viterbo University
La Crosse Private not-for-profit
119$44,961
4University of Wisconsin-Superior
Superior Public
117$39,475
5University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison Public
107$45,906
6University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Stevens Point Public
103$43,087
7Concordia University - Wisconsin
Mequon Private not-for-profit
94$44,612
8University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Eau Claire Public
88$44,178
9University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Oshkosh Public
70$44,453
10University of Wisconsin-River Falls
River Falls Public
64$39,546
Show the other 34 Wisconsin colleges offering Teacher Education and Professional Development
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegeGreen BayPublic153
Madison Area Technical CollegeMadisonPublic89
Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeMilwaukeePublic84
Northcentral Technical CollegeWausauPublic69
Gateway Technical CollegeKenoshaPublic62
Fox Valley Technical CollegeAppletonPublic55
Alverno CollegeMilwaukeePrivate not-for-profit53
University of Wisconsin-PlattevillePlattevillePublic47
Waukesha County Technical CollegePewaukeePublic37
University of Wisconsin-Green BayGreen BayPublic34
Carroll UniversityWaukeshaPrivate not-for-profit32
Marquette UniversityMilwaukeePrivate not-for-profit31
Carthage CollegeKenoshaPrivate not-for-profit28
Saint Norbert CollegeDe PerePrivate not-for-profit28
University of Wisconsin-StoutMenomoniePublic28
Wisconsin Lutheran CollegeMilwaukeePrivate not-for-profit27
Edgewood UniversityMadisonPrivate not-for-profit23
University of Wisconsin-ParksideKenoshaPublic23
Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeEau ClairePublic22
Northwood Technical CollegeRice LakePublic21
Southwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeFennimorePublic20
Marian UniversityFond Du LacPrivate not-for-profit19
Mount Mary UniversityMilwaukeePrivate not-for-profit19
Blackhawk Technical CollegeJanesvillePublic17
College of Menominee NationKeshenaPrivate not-for-profit15
Maranatha Baptist UniversityWatertownPrivate not-for-profit14
Lakeland UniversityPlymouthPrivate not-for-profit11
Mid-State Technical CollegeWisconsin RapidsPublic11
Ripon CollegeRiponPrivate not-for-profit11
Lakeshore Technical CollegeClevelandPublic8
Western Technical CollegeLa CrossePublic7
Nicolet Area Technical CollegeRhinelanderPublic6
Moraine Park Technical CollegeFond du LacPublic3
Bryant & Stratton College - WauwatosaWauwatosaPrivate not-for-profit2

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education (SOC 25-2011).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.1%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~65,500
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$37,120
typically Associate's degree

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningLearning StrategiesReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingMonitoring

What Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education earn in Wisconsin

Jobs in Wisconsin
11,330
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$36,500
median $36,160
Best-paying metro
$39,940
Madison, WI

Related careers

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
$65,960 avg · 24,920 jobs
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
$65,220 avg · 14,460 jobs
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
$36,500 avg · 11,330 jobs
Training and Development Specialists
$74,140 avg · 9,360 jobs
Self-Enrichment Teachers
$44,260 avg · 5,140 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Teacher Education and Professional Development programs in Wisconsin.

Which Wisconsin colleges award the most Teacher Education and Professional Development degrees?+

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (185 graduates a year), University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (182 graduates a year) and Viterbo University (119 graduates a year) award the most Teacher Education and Professional Development degrees in Wisconsin, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 44 Wisconsin colleges offer Teacher Education and Professional Development.

What is the best college for Teacher Education and Professional Development in Wisconsin?+

By graduate earnings, Wisconsin Lutheran College leads among bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development programs in Wisconsin, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $49,485, College Scorecard. Carthage College and Edgewood University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is the largest, with 185 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Teacher Education and Professional Development program in Wisconsin has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Wisconsin Lutheran College tops the list at $49,485. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education earn in Wisconsin?+

The average annual wage for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education in Wisconsin is $36,500 (median $36,160), across about 11,330 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Teacher Education and Professional Development program?+

The Teacher Education and Professional Development program, specifically focusing on various levels and methods, prepares individuals for careers in education. This program is designed for those who aspire to teach or work in educational…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop speaking, active listening, learning strategies, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education?+

The national job outlook is about +4.1% growth with around 65,500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Teacher Education and Professional Development in other statesDistrict of ColumbiaNew JerseyAlaskaMarylandHawaiiUtahNevadaDelaware

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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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