State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in Wisconsin

Name: Wisconsin College Net Price Rankings
Creator: PlainCampus

Private campuses outnumber public ones on this Wisconsin list (41 vs 30); Nicolet Area Technical College still leads on average net price at $8,255.

Compiled by PlainCampus , Independent campus-safety data publisher

$8,255
Cheapest net price: $16,210
Wisconsin median: 71
Schools ranked

Nicolet Area Technical College has the lowest average net price in Wisconsin among Scorecard reporters

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Nicolet Area Technical College posts the lowest average net price in Wisconsin at $8,255 among 71 ranked schools, with the state median 5% below the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

Cheapest net price: $8,255
Wisconsin median: $16,210
Schools ranked: 71
National median: $17,124

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

Nicolet Area Technical College has the lowest average net price in Wisconsin at $8,255/year, and the state's median net price is 5% below the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.

$8,255
cheapest ranked net price: $16,210
Wisconsin median net price: 30 public / 41 private
schools in this ranking: $14,639
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $14,639 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Beloit College, where in-state published tuition of $60,886 falls to an average net price of $21,526 after aid, a $39,360 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked Wisconsin schools.

Private campuses outnumber public ones here (41 vs 30). A low figure at a small religious or specialty school can reflect a narrow enrollment mix, check sector and enrollment beside the price.

The bar to make this top-25 list is $14,054. Here is where that cutoff sits among all 71 Scorecard-reporting Wisconsin schools:

The bar to make Wisconsin's top-25 cheapest list

Average net price after aid · 71 Scorecard-reporting schools

$14,054 Among the most affordable more affordable than 65% of 71 Wisconsin colleges

Show national distribution

Each bar is a $6K-wide band; taller bars hold more Wisconsin colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23

Wisconsin's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

Nicolet Area Technical CollegeRhinelander, WI · Public

Avg net price: $8,255
Net price (<$30K income): $6,066
Median debt: $7,837
Median earnings, 6yr: $36,066
Enrollment: 1,384

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe UniversityHayward, WI · Public

Avg net price: $8,657
Net price (<$30K income): $8,602
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $18,027
Enrollment: 204

College of Menominee NationKeshena, WI · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $8,805
Net price (<$30K income): $9,136
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $25,934
Enrollment: 300

Northwood Technical CollegeRice Lake, WI · Public

Avg net price: $8,989
Net price (<$30K income): $6,515
Median debt: $8,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $42,439
Enrollment: 2,940

Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeMilwaukee, WI · Public

Avg net price: $9,112
Net price (<$30K income): $7,200
Median debt: $14,955
Median earnings, 6yr: $33,057
Enrollment: 13,792

Moraine Park Technical CollegeFond Du Lac, WI · Public

Avg net price: $9,268
Net price (<$30K income): $6,547
Median debt: $8,225
Median earnings, 6yr: $42,097
Enrollment: 4,171

Blackhawk Technical CollegeJanesville, WI · Public

Avg net price: $9,330
Net price (<$30K income): $7,287
Median debt: $9,550
Median earnings, 6yr: $37,606
Enrollment: 2,811

Lakeshore Technical CollegeCleveland, WI · Public

Avg net price: $9,653
Net price (<$30K income): $8,260
Median debt: $7,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $40,673
Enrollment: 3,303

Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegeGreen Bay, WI · Public

Avg net price: $9,918
Net price (<$30K income): $7,616
Median debt: $11,719
Median earnings, 6yr: $39,839
Enrollment: 11,826

Northcentral Technical CollegeWausau, WI · Public

Avg net price: $10,303
Net price (<$30K income): $10,216
Median debt: $7,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $38,984
Enrollment: 6,746

VICI Beauty SchoolGreenfield, WI · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $10,496
Net price (<$30K income): $8,405
Median debt: $6,333
Median earnings, 6yr: $28,628
Enrollment: 109

Mid-State Technical CollegeWisconsin Rapids, WI · Public

Avg net price: $10,873
Net price (<$30K income): $8,618
Median debt: $8,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $39,007
Enrollment: 3,144

Western Technical CollegeLa Crosse, WI · Public

Avg net price: $11,008
Net price (<$30K income): $7,483
Median debt: $11,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $41,169
Enrollment: 3,625

Waukesha County Technical CollegePewaukee, WI · Public

Avg net price: $11,101
Net price (<$30K income): $8,472
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $41,251
Enrollment: 8,367

Fox Valley Technical CollegeAppleton, WI · Public

Avg net price: $11,407
Net price (<$30K income): $8,067
Median debt: $10,402
Median earnings, 6yr: $42,285
Enrollment: 10,670

University of Wisconsin-ParksideKenosha, WI · Public

Avg net price: $11,772
Net price (<$30K income): $7,425
Median debt: $20,492
Median earnings, 6yr: $42,154
Enrollment: 3,925

University of Wisconsin-SuperiorSuperior, WI · Public

Avg net price: $12,220
Net price (<$30K income): $9,679
Median debt: $22,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $41,868
Enrollment: 2,833

Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeEau Claire, WI · Public

Avg net price: $12,285
Net price (<$30K income): $9,483
Median debt: $11,432
Median earnings, 6yr: $43,630
Enrollment: 8,330

Aveda Institute-MadisonMadison, WI · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $12,568
Net price (<$30K income): $9,662
Median debt: $6,333
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,535
Enrollment: 88

Southwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeFennimore, WI · Public

Avg net price: $12,896
Net price (<$30K income): $9,918
Median debt: $7,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $42,360
Enrollment: 2,849

The Institute of Beauty and WellnessMilwaukee, WI · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $12,897
Net price (<$30K income): $12,165
Median debt: $6,333
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,535
Enrollment: 186

Gateway Technical CollegeKenosha, WI · Public

Avg net price: $12,928
Net price (<$30K income): $11,819
Median debt: $12,165
Median earnings, 6yr: $35,333
Enrollment: 10,100

University of Wisconsin-Green BayGreen Bay, WI · Public

Avg net price: $13,369
Net price (<$30K income): $9,144
Median debt: $18,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $46,546
Enrollment: 11,174

Advanced College of CosmetologyWaupun, WI · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $13,545
Net price (<$30K income): $11,944
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $21,050
Enrollment: 24

University of Wisconsin-River FallsRiver Falls, WI · Public

Avg net price: $14,054
Net price (<$30K income): $8,472
Median debt: $20,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $46,524
Enrollment: 5,243

#	College	Avg net price	Net price (<$30K income)	Median debt	Median earnings, 6yr	Enrollment
1	Nicolet Area Technical CollegeRhinelander, WI · Public	$8,255	$6,066	$7,837	$36,066	1,384
2	Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe UniversityHayward, WI · Public	$8,657	$8,602	-	$18,027	204
3	College of Menominee NationKeshena, WI · Private nonprofit	$8,805	$9,136	-	$25,934	300
4	Northwood Technical CollegeRice Lake, WI · Public	$8,989	$6,515	$8,250	$42,439	2,940
5	Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeMilwaukee, WI · Public	$9,112	$7,200	$14,955	$33,057	13,792
6	Moraine Park Technical CollegeFond Du Lac, WI · Public	$9,268	$6,547	$8,225	$42,097	4,171
7	Blackhawk Technical CollegeJanesville, WI · Public	$9,330	$7,287	$9,550	$37,606	2,811
8	Lakeshore Technical CollegeCleveland, WI · Public	$9,653	$8,260	$7,000	$40,673	3,303
9	Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegeGreen Bay, WI · Public	$9,918	$7,616	$11,719	$39,839	11,826
10	Northcentral Technical CollegeWausau, WI · Public	$10,303	$10,216	$7,500	$38,984	6,746
11	VICI Beauty SchoolGreenfield, WI · Private for-profit	$10,496	$8,405	$6,333	$28,628	109
12	Mid-State Technical CollegeWisconsin Rapids, WI · Public	$10,873	$8,618	$8,000	$39,007	3,144
13	Western Technical CollegeLa Crosse, WI · Public	$11,008	$7,483	$11,500	$41,169	3,625
14	Waukesha County Technical CollegePewaukee, WI · Public	$11,101	$8,472	$12,000	$41,251	8,367
15	Fox Valley Technical CollegeAppleton, WI · Public	$11,407	$8,067	$10,402	$42,285	10,670
16	University of Wisconsin-ParksideKenosha, WI · Public	$11,772	$7,425	$20,492	$42,154	3,925
17	University of Wisconsin-SuperiorSuperior, WI · Public	$12,220	$9,679	$22,500	$41,868	2,833
18	Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeEau Claire, WI · Public	$12,285	$9,483	$11,432	$43,630	8,330
19	Aveda Institute-MadisonMadison, WI · Private for-profit	$12,568	$9,662	$6,333	$31,535	88
20	Southwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeFennimore, WI · Public	$12,896	$9,918	$7,500	$42,360	2,849
21	The Institute of Beauty and WellnessMilwaukee, WI · Private for-profit	$12,897	$12,165	$6,333	$31,535	186
22	Gateway Technical CollegeKenosha, WI · Public	$12,928	$11,819	$12,165	$35,333	10,100
23	University of Wisconsin-Green BayGreen Bay, WI · Public	$13,369	$9,144	$18,500	$46,546	11,174
24	Advanced College of CosmetologyWaupun, WI · Private for-profit	$13,545	$11,944	-	$21,050	24
25	University of Wisconsin-River FallsRiver Falls, WI · Public	$14,054	$8,472	$20,500	$46,524	5,243

Showing the 25 cheapest of 71 Scorecard-reporting Wisconsin schools. The remaining 46 are ranked in the same net-price order but omitted from this HTML table so the page stays crawlable.

Look up any institution's exact rank via My School Profile, or open its school page for income-bracket net price, debt, and earnings.

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What this means for you

Use Wisconsin's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

Nicolet Area Technical College reports the lowest average net price in Wisconsin, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Nicolet Area Technical
See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. Wisconsin safety

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 25 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for Wisconsin. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.

Wisconsin's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

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