by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which grad school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Top Wisconsin Colleges for a Doctorate ranking - to help you make that decision.
Jump to Any of the Following Sections: * Our Methodology
After analyzing 15 grad schools in Wisconsin, we came up with our list of those that offered the best doctorate degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best grad schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a doctorate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. A doctorate degree holder from a school in Wisconsin makes an average starting salary of $77,274, but the students who attended schools in the top 10 of our list make an average of $86,405.
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that graduate students take on while pursuing their doctorate degree. The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
Our Best Doctorate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt. These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.
To learn more, visit our graduate school ranking methodology page.
Still not sure what graduate degree you wish to pursue? You may want to visit our Best Master's Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Our analysis found University of Wisconsin - Madison to be the best grad school for doctorate degrees in Wisconsin in this year’s ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 1,462 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from UW - Madison is $70,263 during the early years of their career.
The excellent doctorate degree programs at Carroll University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Wisconsin. Waukesha, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 79 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Carroll U make an average of $69,728 per year during the early years of their career.
The excellent doctorate degree programs at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Wisconsin. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the fairly large public school handed out 47 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from UW - La Crosse make an average of $71,462 a year.
A rank of #4 on our Best Doctorate Degrees in Wisconsin list means Marquette University is a great place for students working on their degree. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 431 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from Marquette go into careers with an average salary of $80,742 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #5 on our Best Doctorate Degrees in Wisconsin list means University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a great place for students working on their degree. UW - Whitewater is a fairly large public school situated in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It awarded 12 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Concordia University, Wisconsin ranked #6 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Wisconsin list. Mequon, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 133 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $91,709 during the early years of their career.
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire ranked #7 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Wisconsin list. Eau Claire, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from UW - Eau Claire make an average of $112,967 per year during the early years of their career.
Viterbo University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Wisconsin list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 43 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $109,263 during the early years of their career.
Alverno College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Wisconsin list. Alverno is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Edgewood College did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Wisconsin ranking, coming in at #10. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Edgewood make an average of $86,551 per year during the early years of their career.
Cardinal Stritch University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Wisconsin list. Cardinal Stritch is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 25 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Wisconsin ranking. This large public school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 238 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from UWM is $72,254 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #13, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Wisconsin list. UW Oshkosh is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 52 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from UW Oshkosh is $99,116 during the early years of their career.
University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Wisconsin ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school awarded 11 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #15, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Wisconsin list. Located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.