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Milwaukee Area Technical College

#3 Most Affordable Colleges in Wisconsin
Public Milwaukee, WI · Urban · Great Lakes · 87% data
A Diversity B+ Affordability B+ Value
Graduation Rate
25% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$41,113 C
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$9,112 B+
47% less than the typical college
Enrollment
12,024
Earnings +1% vs avg
Graduation -57% vs avg
Net Price +-47% vs avg
Mobility Top 84%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 29.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $29.8 over 20 years. Ranked #3 in Most Affordable Colleges in Wisconsin.

29.8× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $29.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,049,332.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 25% — 57% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $29.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About Milwaukee Area Technical College

Milwaukee Area Technical College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
12,024
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Mechanic & Repair Tech

Why students choose Milwaukee Area Technical College

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 48% overall
C
Earnings
$41,113 median
B+
Value
4.5× net price
B+
Affordability
$9,112/yr net
F
Graduation
25% graduate
D
Social Mobility
0.9% climb Q1→Q5
A
Diversity
0.75 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With over 12,000 students, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a practical choice for those looking to enter the workforce quickly. It especially suits individuals interested in hands-on careers, with popular programs like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Mechanic & Repair Tech drawing many students. The focus here is on skill-building and real-world applications, which can be a significant advantage for those eager to start working right after graduation.

After completing their studies, graduates can expect to earn about $41,113 a year a decade later. This earning potential, while modest, can be very achievable given the college's affordability. The net price after financial aid stands at $9,112, which makes it accessible for many. Approximately 40% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating a strong commitment to helping those from lower-income backgrounds succeed.

Financially, the college offers a reasonable path with a median debt of $14,955, meaning students can graduate without being buried in loans. Those who thrive here tend to be motivated, practical, and eager to enter the job market with the skills they have developed. If you're looking for a straightforward, career-focused education without breaking the bank, Milwaukee Area Technical College could be just the right fit.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Milwaukee Area Technical College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Milwaukee Area Technical College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Milwaukee Area Technical College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 25%.

Retention Rate
64%
Full-Time Faculty
46%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$11,469
Student–Faculty Ratio
9:1
Diversity Index
0.75
First-Gen Students
49%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Milwaukee Area Technical College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Milwaukee Area Technical College is $7,427, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $9,112. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,200 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $14,955 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$5,184
Out-of-State
$7,427
Avg Net Price
$9,112
Median Debt
$14,955
Pell Grant Rate
40%
Federal Loan Rate
26%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$7,200
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,856
Family Income $48K–$75K
$9,513
Family Income $110K+
$15,545

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Milwaukee Area Technical College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Milwaukee Area Technical College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Milwaukee Area Technical College report median earnings of $41,113, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$33,057
8 Years
$36,791
10 Years
$41,113
Debt-to-Earnings
0.36x
Earning > $25K
51%

Earnings Trajectory

$33,057 6yr $36,791 8yr $41,113 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (111)
11%
100% (111)
11%
100% (111)
11%
100% (111)
11%

How Milwaukee Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation25%Earnings 10yr$41KNet Price$9KRetention64%Median Debt$15KPell Grant Rate40%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$7K$0-30K$8K$30-48K$10K$48-75K$16K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%17.8%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%4.9%MOBILITY0.88%

College ROI Calculator

Is Milwaukee Area Technical College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Milwaukee Area Technical College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,112/year ($36,448 total). Graduates earn $41,113 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,085,780 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,049,332 (29.8× your investment). The median debt is $14,955, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 25% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$36,448
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,085,780
Net Return
$1,049,332
ROI Multiple
29.8×
Cost Per Year
$9,112
Median Debt
$14,955
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
25%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Milwaukee Area Technical College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Milwaukee Area Technical College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.88%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 17.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 4.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $64,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
0.88%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
4.9%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
17.8%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$87,089
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Milwaukee Area Technical College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Milwaukee Area Technical College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias runs higher (0.20), suggesting students tend to form ties within their own economic group. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.79
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.20
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
8.0%
Support Ratio
0.93
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Top Programs

The fields Milwaukee Area Technical College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Milwaukee Area Technical College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Milwaukee Area Technical College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 25%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Milwaukee Area Technical College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Milwaukee Area Technical College is $7,427, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $9,112. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,200 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $14,955 in federal student loans.

Is Milwaukee Area Technical College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Milwaukee Area Technical College report median earnings of $41,113, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Milwaukee Area Technical College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Milwaukee Area Technical College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.88%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 17.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 4.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $64,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Milwaukee Area Technical College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Milwaukee Area Technical College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias runs higher (0.20), suggesting students tend to form ties within their own economic group. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Milwaukee Area Technical College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys