2026 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Wisconsin
[Higher Education/Higher Education Administration](/majors/education/educational-administration/higher-education-higher-education-administration/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for higher education/higher education administration students.
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2026 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Wisconsin
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in higher education/higher education administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Wisconsin Whitewater the best value for a degree in higher education/higher education administration in Wisconsin. University Of Wisconsin Whitewater is a large public school located in the town of Whitewater. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,616, while out-of-state students pay about $18,716. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $25,306 in student loans. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of University Of Wisconsin Whitewater earn a median of $45,767 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Wisconsin Whitewater admits about 86% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Wisconsin La Crosse one of the best values for higher education/higher education administration. University Of Wisconsin La Crosse is a large public school located in the city of La Crosse. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,070, compared with $19,517 for out-of-state students. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $23,551 in student loans. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $45,222. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Wisconsin La Crosse admits about 76% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee earned it the #3 place for higher education/higher education administration. University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a very large public school located in the city of Milwaukee. In-state tuition and fees average $10,398, while out-of-state students pay about $22,398. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $39,662. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $46,561. Set against $39,662 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in higher education/higher education administration will find it at Alverno College, which ranked #4. Alverno College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Milwaukee. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,086. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $34,425 in student loans. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $66,052. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Alverno College admits about 86% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Edgewood College earned it the #5 place for higher education/higher education administration. Set in the city of Madison, Edgewood College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,860. Students borrow a median of $26,750 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from Edgewood College generally make around $91,024. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Marquette University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value higher education/higher education administration schools. Set in the city of Milwaukee, Marquette University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $51,170. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $24,122. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from Marquette University generally make around $49,744. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
