UW-Madison’s ranking dips, but remains highest-ranked university in state by U.S. News & World Report

2025 Best Colleges rankings released

The University of Wisconsin-Madison continues to be the highest ranked university in Wisconsin, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges rankings.

This year, UW-Madison placed #39 on the national universities list – down four spots from last year. In 2022, UW-Madison ranked #38 in the same category. The university also placed #18 in the “Best Undergraduate Business Programs” category and maintained the top spot for best real estate program.

Milwaukee School of Engineering also kept the #2 spot of regional universities in the Midwest.

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Below is a full list of where Wisconsin’s colleges and universities placed in the U.S. News and World Report rankings for 2025.

National Universities

  • 39. University of Wisconsin-Madison (Last year’s ranking: 35)
  • 86. Marquette University (Last year’s ranking: 86)
  • 315. UW-Milwaukee (Last year’s ranking: 332)
  • 329. Concordia University Wisconsin (Last year’s ranking: 304)
  • 332. UW-Oshkosh (Last year’s ranking 332)

National Liberal Arts Colleges

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  • 69. Lawrence University (Last year’s ranking: 75)
  • 90. St. Norbert College (Last year’s ranking: 93)
  • 95. Beloit College (Last year’s ranking: 86)
  • 136. Ripon College (Last year’s ranking: 146)

Regional Universities – Midwest

  • 2. Milwaukee School of Engineering (Last year’s ranking: 2)
  • 20. UW-Eau Claire (Last year’s ranking: 21)
  • 28. UW-La Crosse
  • 32. Carroll University (Last year’s ranking: 38)
  • 34. UW-Whitewater (Last year’s ranking: 43)
  • 41. UW-Stevens Point (Last year’s ranking: 47)
  • 48. UW-River Falls (Last year’s ranking: 60)
  • 60. Mount Mary University (Last year’s ranking: 47)
  • 60. UW-Platteville (Last year’s ranking: 60)
  • 64. UW-Green Bay (Last year’s ranking: 66)
  • 67. Alverno College (Last year’s ranking: 56)
  • 73. Viterbo University (Last year’s ranking: 74)
  • 79. UW-Stout (Last year’s ranking: 67)
  • 118. UW-Parkside (Last year’s ranking: 103)
  • 124. UW-Superior (Last year’s ranking: 124)
  • 131. Maranatha Baptist University (Last year’s ranking: 133)
  • 138. Lakeland University (Last year’s ranking: 140)
  • 149-164. Herzing University (Last year’s ranking: 149-164)

Regional Colleges – Midwest

  • 16. Wisconsin Lutheran College (Last year’s ranking: 19)
  • 32. Northland College (Last year’s ranking: 33)

Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Overall

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  • 18. UW-Madison (Last year’s ranking: 17)
  • 94. Marquette University (Last year’s ranking: 118)
  • 127. UW-Milwaukee (Last year’s ranking: 135)
  • 248. UW-Whitewater (Last year’s ranking: 310)
  • 281. UW-Eau Claire (Last year’s ranking: 310)
  • 316. UW-La Crosse (Last year’s ranking: 353)
  • 316. UW-Oshkosh (Last year’s ranking: 403)
  • 392. UW-Stevens Point (Last year’s ranking: 403)
  • 440-532. UW-Parkside (Last year’s ranking: 453-523)
  • 440-532. UW-River Falls (Last year’s ranking: 453-523)

Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Accounting

  • 16. UW-Madison (Last year’s ranking: 17)
  • 36. Marquette University (Last year’s ranking: 46)

Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Finance

  • 19. Marquette University (Last year’s ranking: 21)
  • 32. UW-Madison (Last year’s ranking: 26)

Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Insurance

  • 2. UW-Madison (Last year’s ranking: 2)

Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Management

  • 20. UW-Madison (Last year’s ranking: 22)

Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Marketing

  • 8. UW-Madison (Last year’s ranking: 9)

Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Production and Operations Management

  • 16. UW-Madison

Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Real Estate

  • 1. UW-Madison (Last year’s ranking: 1)

Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Supply Chain Management and Logistics

  • 20. Marquette University (Last year’s ranking: 17)
  • 24. UW-Madison

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