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Best Trade Programs in Wisconsin (2026)

Top 100 of 408 programs in Wisconsin · Updated 2026

The best trade school programs in Wisconsin, ranked by overall value. We scored 408 programs across Wisconsin trade schools on earnings, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $50,636/yr in graduate earnings.

Programs in WI

408

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$50,636/yr

Avg TSW Score

77/100

#1 Program

Truck Driving & CDL

Fox Valley Technical College

Top Trade Programs in Wisconsin

Top 100 programs by TSW Score. Click any row for full analysis.

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	Truck Driving & CDL Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	92 91–93	$67,999/yr	111.6x
2	Truck Driving & CDL Waukesha County Technical College · Pewaukee, WI	88 86–88	$50,682/yr	119.8x
3	Criminal Justice Gateway Technical College · Kenosha, WI	91 87–93	$73,818/yr	153.6x
4	Criminal Justice Blackhawk Technical College · Janesville, WI	91 87–92	$68,669/yr	163.7x
5	Criminal Justice Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	89 85–91	$64,741/yr	130.7x
6	Criminal Justice Waukesha County Technical College · Pewaukee, WI	90 86–92	$69,115/yr	145.4x
7	Criminal Justice Northcentral Technical College · Wausau, WI	89 85–90	$59,645/yr	153.5x
8	Business Administration Northcentral Technical College · Wausau, WI	92 87–94	$60,405/yr	125.2x
9	Criminal Justice Chippewa Valley Technical College · Eau Claire, WI	88 84–90	$60,737/yr	131.9x
10	Criminal Justice Western Technical College · La Crosse, WI	88 84–89	$59,276/yr	120.4x
11	Criminal Justice Nicolet Area Technical College · Rhinelander, WI	86 82–87	$53,660/yr	112.6x
12	Criminal Justice Southwest Wisconsin Technical College · Fennimore, WI	78 75–79	$51,806/yr	51.0x
13	Construction Management Technology Chippewa Valley Technical College · Eau Claire, WI	77 76–77	$37,575/yr	78.5x
14	Nursing Madison Area Technical College · Madison, WI	82 77–83	$66,446/yr	68.5x
15	Nursing Blackhawk Technical College · Janesville, WI	85 79–85	$69,492/yr	73.3x
16	Nursing Gateway Technical College · Kenosha, WI	82 77–83	$68,134/yr	72.8x
17	Nursing Mid-State Technical College · Wisconsin Rapids, WI	81 76–82	$64,716/yr	53.1x
18	Nursing Milwaukee Area Technical College · Milwaukee, WI	82 77–82	$69,145/yr	70.3x
19	Nursing Moraine Park Technical College · Fond du Lac, WI	82 77–82	$66,776/yr	72.7x
20	Business Administration Moraine Park Technical College · Fond du Lac, WI	79 74–80	$46,719/yr	48.6x
21	Nursing Nicolet Area Technical College · Rhinelander, WI	81 77–82	$65,071/yr	69.3x
22	Nursing Waukesha County Technical College · Pewaukee, WI	83 78–83	$68,434/yr	75.3x
23	Plumbing Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	81 80–82	$79,589/yr	160.9x
24	Nursing Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	80 75–81	$63,050/yr	65.1x
25	Nursing Lakeshore Technical College · Cleveland, WI	80 75–81	$61,635/yr	67.4x
26	Business Administration Mid-State Technical College · Wisconsin Rapids, WI	78 74–80	$47,268/yr	45.4x
27	Nursing Northcentral Technical College · Wausau, WI	84 78–84	$63,958/yr	79.4x
28	Nursing Northeast Wisconsin Technical College · Green Bay, WI	80 75–80	$61,633/yr	63.9x
29	Nursing Southwest Wisconsin Technical College · Fennimore, WI	81 75–82	$61,748/yr	72.2x
30	Electrical Installation Chippewa Valley Technical College · Eau Claire, WI	84 79–85	$60,950/yr	197.8x
31	Nursing Chippewa Valley Technical College · Eau Claire, WI	82 76–82	$64,532/yr	73.1x
32	Business Administration Waukesha County Technical College · Pewaukee, WI	78 72–80	$44,016/yr	54.5x
33	Nursing Western Technical College · La Crosse, WI	82 76–82	$64,274/yr	71.9x
34	Criminal Justice Northwood Technical College · Rice Lake, WI	75 72–76	$44,966/yr	48.7x
35	Nursing Northwood Technical College · Rice Lake, WI	82 77–82	$64,281/yr	75.2x
36	Practical Nursing Herzing University-Madison · Madison, WI	72 68–73	$47,310/yr	49.0x
37	Practical Nursing Herzing University-Kenosha · Kenosha, WI	72 68–73	$47,310/yr	49.0x
38	Practical Nursing Herzing University-Brookfield · Brookfield, WI	72 68–73	$47,310/yr	49.0x
39	Culinary Arts Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	71 69–71	$34,736/yr	40.6x
40	Welding & Metalworking Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	73 72–73	$53,507/yr	118.2x
41	Welding & Metalworking Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	65 65–66	$52,449/yr	60.8x
42	Business Administration Gateway Technical College · Kenosha, WI	82 77–84	$40,426/yr	82.3x
43	Business Administration Milwaukee Area Technical College · Milwaukee, WI	76 71–78	$43,437/yr	46.9x
44	Business Administration Northcentral Technical College · Wausau, WI	78 73–80	$42,172/yr	57.9x
45	Electrical Installation Southwest Wisconsin Technical College · Fennimore, WI	81 77–82	$53,024/yr	155.0x
46	Business Administration Western Technical College · La Crosse, WI	85 78–87	$41,118/yr	109.8x
47	Business Administration Western Technical College · La Crosse, WI	76 70–78	$40,548/yr	50.9x
48	Business Administration Northwood Technical College · Rice Lake, WI	78 71–80	$41,564/yr	56.0x
49	Business Administration Madison Area Technical College · Madison, WI	76 72–78	$43,085/yr	44.1x
50	Criminal Justice Blackhawk Technical College · Janesville, WI	72 69–74	$40,164/yr	50.8x
51	Criminal Justice Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	74 67–76	$39,571/yr	56.1x
52	Vehicle Repair Technology Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	70 67–71	$47,998/yr	62.6x
53	Business Administration Gateway Technical College · Kenosha, WI	75 69–77	$39,244/yr	49.8x
54	Welding & Metalworking Lakeshore Technical College · Cleveland, WI	71 70–71	$48,619/yr	103.9x
55	Business Administration Lakeshore Technical College · Cleveland, WI	75 69–77	$39,684/yr	49.0x
56	Criminal Justice Northcentral Technical College · Wausau, WI	75 70–77	$39,421/yr	63.7x
57	Practical Nursing Northeast Wisconsin Technical College · Green Bay, WI	78 76–79	$42,721/yr	102.3x
58	Welding & Metalworking Chippewa Valley Technical College · Eau Claire, WI	71 70–72	$48,638/yr	120.0x
59	Business Administration Chippewa Valley Technical College · Eau Claire, WI	75 69–77	$39,344/yr	49.7x
60	Criminal Justice Waukesha County Technical College · Pewaukee, WI	72 69–74	$41,591/yr	47.0x
61	Practical Nursing Rasmussen University-Wisconsin · Green Bay, WI	70 68–70	$45,271/yr	44.0x
62	IT Management Madison Area Technical College · Madison, WI	77 70–79	$54,784/yr	56.3x
63	Health Administration Madison Area Technical College · Madison, WI	81 75–83	$43,237/yr	89.5x
64	Vehicle Repair Technology Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	76 73–77	$45,675/yr	128.5x
65	Business Administration Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	74 69–76	$39,337/yr	47.2x
66	Criminal Justice Gateway Technical College · Kenosha, WI	73 67–75	$38,881/yr	54.1x
67	Medical Assisting Lakeshore Technical College · Cleveland, WI	72 70–73	$52,020/yr	54.9x
68	Practical Nursing Lakeshore Technical College · Cleveland, WI	77 74–77	$39,553/yr	102.0x
69	Criminal Justice Milwaukee Area Technical College · Milwaukee, WI	71 66–73	$38,027/yr	49.7x
70	Welding & Metalworking Northcentral Technical College · Wausau, WI	72 71–72	$47,718/yr	131.0x
71	Medical Assisting Northcentral Technical College · Wausau, WI	75 73–76	$53,523/yr	68.3x
72	Business Administration Northeast Wisconsin Technical College · Green Bay, WI	74 69–76	$40,091/yr	45.1x
73	Business Administration Southwest Wisconsin Technical College · Fennimore, WI	74 70–76	$40,415/yr	44.7x
74	Criminal Justice Chippewa Valley Technical College · Eau Claire, WI	73 66–75	$37,671/yr	57.7x
75	Software Development Madison Area Technical College · Madison, WI	78 71–81	$65,191/yr	67.2x
76	Welding & Metalworking Blackhawk Technical College · Janesville, WI	70 69–71	$44,698/yr	123.3x
77	Practical Nursing Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	75 72–75	$38,540/yr	88.5x
78	Vehicle Repair Technology Gateway Technical College · Kenosha, WI	73 72–73	$43,965/yr	89.6x
79	Vehicle Repair Technology Gateway Technical College · Kenosha, WI	65 65–66	$45,246/yr	45.6x
80	Criminal Justice Northeast Wisconsin Technical College · Green Bay, WI	70 65–72	$36,713/yr	48.5x
81	Welding & Metalworking Waukesha County Technical College · Pewaukee, WI	70 67–71	$43,380/yr	123.7x
82	Information Sciences Northwood Technical College · Rice Lake, WI	83 74–85	$50,239/yr	110.0x
83	Security Technology University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI	73 69–75	$46,673/yr	45.6x
84	Nursing Rasmussen University-Wisconsin · Green Bay, WI	73 68–73	$68,119/yr	30.7x
85	Computer Networking Madison Area Technical College · Madison, WI	77 70–80	$65,324/yr	67.3x
86	Criminal Justice Madison Area Technical College · Madison, WI	70 67–71	$39,174/yr	40.0x
87	Practical Nursing Milwaukee Area Technical College · Milwaukee, WI	76 71–77	$36,583/yr	113.3x
88	Welding & Metalworking Moraine Park Technical College · Fond du Lac, WI	68 66–69	$41,073/yr	109.4x
89	Welding & Metalworking Northeast Wisconsin Technical College · Green Bay, WI	68 66–69	$41,421/yr	110.9x
90	Health Administration Northeast Wisconsin Technical College · Green Bay, WI	79 72–81	$39,122/yr	89.9x
91	Health Administration Southwest Wisconsin Technical College · Fennimore, WI	78 72–80	$38,437/yr	87.5x
92	Heavy Equipment Technology Chippewa Valley Technical College · Eau Claire, WI	68 67–68	$62,438/yr	65.1x
93	Practical Nursing Chippewa Valley Technical College · Eau Claire, WI	77 72–78	$37,386/yr	145.2x
94	IT Management Waukesha County Technical College · Pewaukee, WI	73 66–75	$46,450/yr	48.2x
95	Welding & Metalworking Northwood Technical College · Rice Lake, WI	68 67–69	$42,282/yr	112.6x
96	Nursing Herzing University-Madison · Madison, WI	72 68–73	$73,342/yr	27.4x
97	International Business University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI	74 67–77	$42,826/yr	54.2x
98	IT Management Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	72 64–75	$43,909/yr	52.0x
99	Criminal Justice Moraine Park Technical College · Fond du Lac, WI	68 63–70	$33,824/yr	48.2x
100	Electrical Installation Moraine Park Technical College · Fond du Lac, WI	77 71–78	$41,051/yr	162.1x

About This Ranking

What we ranked

Best Trades in Wisconsin ranks 100 programs across the United States by the TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines graduate earnings, return on investment, and job-market demand into a single 0-100 metric.

Data sources

Earnings figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, which tracks graduate income one and five years after program completion. Job-market projections use Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 employment data.

How to read the table

Use the sort controls below the headline to re-rank by earnings, ROI, or other metrics. Click any school name for full earnings projections, three-scenario modeling, and detailed program data. Most students attend a school within driving distance — local rankings are usually more actionable than national.

Caveats & limitations

Rankings reflect what the data can measure: post-graduation earnings, debt levels, and broad labor-market trends. They cannot capture program quality nuances like instructor expertise, hands-on equipment access, or industry connections. Treat rankings as a starting point — visit schools and talk to current students before committing.

Methodology

This ranking includes the top 100 trade programs at Wisconsin schools, drawn from 408 total programs with earnings data. Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100), which combines graduate earnings, job market demand, and tuition ROI.

Only in-state tuition is used for ROI calculations. Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best trade program in Wisconsin?

By TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Truck Driving & CDL at Fox Valley Technical College ranks #1 in Wisconsin with a score of 92/100 and graduate earnings of $67,999/yr.

How many trade programs are in Wisconsin?

Our database includes 408 trade programs across Wisconsin schools with reported earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections). Last updated 2025.