Chippewa Valley Times

High school students and their parents evaluating educational options should consider the University of Wisconsin-Stout, according to Money Magazine. The publication has included UW-Stout in its 2024 Best Colleges list, which emphasizes affordability and student outcomes. Additionally, Money Magazine named Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University as one of the top 94 Best Public colleges in the nation and among 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," stated Chancellor Katherine Frank. "We’re focused on continuing to ensure the upward mobility of our graduates and their contributions to the workforce."

Money Magazine's national list includes 745 colleges and universities out of more than 5,000 in the U.S., evaluated based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries, and other factors. Schools that made this list are not ranked. Notably, UW-Stout and UW-Madison were the only public institutions from Wisconsin featured on both the Best of the Midwest and Best Public lists.

"We'd argue we're even more affordable than it appears on the surface," said Frank. She highlighted that degree-seeking students receive a laptop with industry-standard software as part of their tuition 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 is recognized for its strong student outcomes, boasting a 99% employment rate for recent graduates and an average starting salary of $58,000—best in its region—with over 55 Fortune 500 companies hiring its alumni.

Moreover, UW-Stout was distinguished as the only public university in Wisconsin to be listed among Best Colleges with High Acceptance Rates by Money Magazine. “A college doesn’t have to be exclusive to deliver a strong return on investment for students,” noted Money Magazine.

Overall, UW-Stout earned a rating of 4.5 stars out of five from Money Magazine. The publication praised its "classroom-to-lab curriculum" featuring three times more labs than classrooms along with ample opportunities for hands-on learning and undergraduate research.

Chancellor Frank emphasized that "a polytechnic education informs our strengths in engineering, technology, design and other high-demand career fields." The Cooperative Education and Internship Program (CEIP) at UW-Stout significantly contributes to student success by involving over 1,000 participants annually.

“Through CEIP and other workforce initiatives," Frank remarked, "Stout graduates are not only employed within six months at an unmatched rate but their impact is also real on day one.”

UW-Stout offers more than 45 undergraduate programs alongside over 25 graduate programs including specialized schools such as Engineering or Art & Design.