National rankings highlight affordability and student outcomes
By Jerry Poling, UW Stout
High school students and their parents who are crunching numbers and looking for the best schools their money can buy should consider University of Wisconsin-Stout.
That’s according to Money Magazine, which has included UW-Stout on its 2024 Best Colleges list that focuses on affordability and student outcomes. In addition, Money named Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University one of the top 94 Best Public colleges in the nation and one of the 45 Best in the Midwest.
“Being one of the best colleges reinforces the value of UW-Stout to prospective students, whether they are high school graduates, adults returning to elevate their career success or businesses seeking to upskill their workforce,” said Chancellor Katherine Frank. “We’re focused on continuing to ensure the upward mobility of our graduates and their contributions to the workforce.”
Money named 745 colleges and universities — out of more than 5,000 in the U.S. — to its national list based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries and more. Schools that made the list are not ranked.
UW-Stout and UW-Madison were the only public schools in Wisconsin to make the Best of the Midwest and Best Public lists.
“We'd argue we're even more affordable than it appears on the surface,” Frank said, noting that degree-seeking students receive a laptop computer with industry-standard software that are included in tuition and fees.
“And that's just the beginning of additional resources students at other schools pay for later, like textbooks. A lot of our digital education resources and course materials are covered upfront in tuition,” she added.
UW-Stout has long been a higher education standout in student outcomes, with a 99% employment rate for recent graduates; a best-in-the-region average starting salary of $58,000 for graduates; and more than 55 Fortune 500 employers who hired recent graduates.
In addition, UW-Stout was the only public university in Wisconsin to make the list of Best Colleges with High Acceptance Rates, or above two-thirds acceptance. “A college doesn’t have to be exclusive to deliver a strong return on investment for students,” Money said.
Overall, UW-Stout received 4.5 stars out of a possible five-star rating. Money cited its “classroom-to-lab curriculum” with three times as many labs and studio spaces as classrooms “and there are built-in opportunities for hands-on learning and undergraduate research.”
The university’s applied learning model that guides students to put into practice what they learn in the classroom is the foundation of UW-Stout’s polytechnic education. Other key aspects are business and industry collaboration and career-focused experiences.
“A polytechnic education informs our strengths in engineering, technology, design and other high-demand career fields, and it’s why Stout is the best at what we do,” Frank said.
A robust Cooperative Education and Internship Program, with more than 1,000 students participating annually, plays a significant role in in student success.
“Through the CEIP and other workforce initiatives, Stout graduates are not only employed within six months of graduation at an unmatched rate, but their impact is also real on day one,” Frank said.
UW-Stout has more than 45 undergraduate and 25 graduate programs, including a School of Engineering and School of Art and Design.
UW-Stout is Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, with a focus on applied learning, collaboration with business and industry, and career outcomes. Learn more via the FOCUS2030 strategic
