Home Ideas Education & Workforce Development UW-Madison’s ranking dips, but remains highest-ranked university in state by U.S. News...

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

2025 Best Colleges rankings released

Bascom Hall at UW-Madison

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.

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

  • 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

  • 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
Samantha covers education, healthcare and nonprofits for BizTimes. She recently graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a journalism degree. She wrote for the Columbia Missourian newspaper, and covered Congress as an intern at States Newsroom’s Washington, D.C. bureau. She loves exploring new cities, listening to music and watching Star Wars.
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. 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 National Liberal Arts Colleges Regional Universities – Midwest Regional Colleges – Midwest Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Overall Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Accounting Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Finance Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Insurance Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Management Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Marketing Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Production and Operations Management Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Real Estate Best Undergraduate Business Programs – Supply Chain Management and Logistics

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