Education in Wisconsin

Schools, universities, attainment and graduation rates.

Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
34.6%
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year
Public schools reporting teachers
2,160
2024 · NCES Common Core of Data
College and graduate school students
340,197
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates
Adults 25+ with a high school diploma or higher
93.7%
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates
People enrolled in school (age 3+)
1,335,016
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates
Students per full-time teacher (public schools)
13.7
2024 · NCES Common Core of Data

Educational Attainment

Degrees held by adults.

Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
34.6%
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year
High school or higher
93.5%
Bachelor's or higher
32.5%
Graduate degree
11.5%

Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

2006–2024
34.6%

Census American Community Survey 1-year (FRED GCT1502WI).

IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
Bachelor's degree or higher (%)32.535.0
  • •Wisconsin has one of the highest high-school completion rates in the United States.

Schools

K-12 school system.

Public schools reporting teachers
2,160
2024 · NCES Common Core of Data
Public school enrollment (K-12)
805,901
2024 · NCES Common Core of Data
School districts
421
Per-pupil spending
$14,300

Public schools reporting teachers

1986–2024
2,160▲ 8%

NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.

Public school enrollment (K-12)

1986–2024
805,901▲ 5%

NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.

IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
Per-pupil spending (USD)1430015600
  • •Wisconsin's 421 school districts are funded through a revenue-limit system in place since 1993.

Universities

Higher education.

College and graduate school students
340,197
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates
Flagship
University of Wisconsin-Madison

College and graduate school students

2008–2024
340,197▼ 14%

Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, undergraduate + graduate/professional, B14001 (2020 not released).

IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
College enrollment (thousands)30018600
  • •UW-Madison is one of the largest research universities in the U.S. by annual R&D spending.

Graduation Rates

Completion of high school.

Adults 25+ with a high school diploma or higher
93.7%
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates
4-year graduation rate
90.0%
Dropout rate
4.5%
College enrollment rate
60%

Adults 25+ with a high school diploma or higher

2008–2024
93.7%

Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B15003 (2020 not released).

IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
High school graduation rate (%)90.087.0
  • •Wisconsin's high-school graduation rate is among the ten highest in the country.

Student Enrollment

Students in the system.

People enrolled in school (age 3+)
1,335,016
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates

People enrolled in school (age 3+)

2008–2024
1,335,016▼ 7%

Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B14001 (2020 not released).

IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
K-12 enrollment (M)0.8149.5
  • •Milwaukee launched the first modern school voucher programme in the United States in 1990.

Student-Teacher Ratios

Class staffing.

Students per full-time teacher (public schools)
13.7
2024 · NCES Common Core of Data
Full-time-equivalent public school teachers
58,686
2024 · NCES Common Core of Data
Student-teacher ratio
14.9:1
Average teacher salary
$60,000

Students per full-time teacher (public schools)

1986–2024
13.7▼ 16%

NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.

Full-time-equivalent public school teachers

1986–2024
58,686▲ 25%

NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.

IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
Student-teacher ratio14.915.4
  • •Wisconsin's student-teacher ratio beats the national average, though teacher turnover rose sharply after Act 10 in 2011.