Dr. Miguel A. Cardona Secretary of Education | Official website
Dr. Miguel A. Cardona Secretary of Education | Official website
Data shows that students paid $19,358 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $333 more than the previous school year.
Among the 14 institutions providing full disclosure in the county, Marquette University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $46,670. Milwaukee School of Engineering followed with an average of $46,506 per year. Milwaukee Area Technical College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $4,889.
At the time, at least $129 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Milwaukee County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $32.1 million.
Currently there are 15 higher education institutions in Milwaukee County, including Paul Mitchell the School-Milwaukee, Milwaukee Career College, and Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 15 institutions in Milwaukee County, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Flex did not provide detailed data on tuition fees.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Mitchell the School-Milwaukee | 7 | $38,743 | $5,535 | 7 | $55,103 | $7,872 |
| Milwaukee Career College | 125 | $550,187 | $4,401 | 125 | $744,875 | $5,959 |
| Empire Beauty School-Milwaukee | 79 | $324,093 | $4,102 | 81 | $529,122 | $6,532 |
| Marquette University | 1,975 | $62,573,412 | $31,683 | 893 | $8,500,290 | $9,519 |
| Wisconsin Lutheran College | 309 | $7,453,556 | $24,122 | 218 | $1,725,695 | $7,916 |
| VICI Beauty School | 50 | $213,241 | $4,265 | 60 | $359,113 | $5,985 |
| Mount Mary University | 155 | $4,345,147 | $28,033 | 150 | $871,001 | $5,807 |
| Alverno College | 133 | $3,540,034 | $26,617 | 64 | $341,345 | $5,334 |
| The Institute of Beauty and Wellness | 38 | $201,714 | $5,308 | 62 | $487,289 | $7,860 |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Flex | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 2,692 | $14,279,985 | $5,305 | 1,573 | $11,456,575 | $7,283 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa | 122 | $1,298,170 | $10,641 | 94 | $574,930 | $6,116 |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College | 688 | $5,624,663 | $8,175 | 286 | $1,530,454 | $5,351 |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering | 672 | $23,125,156 | $34,412 | 459 | $3,200,012 | $6,972 |
| Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design | 221 | $5,437,647 | $24,605 | 186 | $1,694,589 | $9,111 |
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