Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 17.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $17.3 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $17.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $841,617.
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What The Data Says
A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
Every $1 invested returns $17.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Matters
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a public college in Fennimore, WI and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 1,313
- Setting
- Rural
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Construction Trades, Business & Marketing, Education
Why students choose Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $12,896 a year after grants and scholarships — 25% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $43,470 ten years after enrolling — 7% above the typical college, against $7,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.6% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 45% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.36 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of 1,313 students, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a solid choice for those looking to dive into practical, career-focused programs. The college excels in areas like Health Professions, Construction Trades, Business & Marketing, Education, and Precision Production. If you're someone who prefers a hands-on approach to learning and wants to enter the workforce quickly with valuable skills, this might be the right place for you.
After graduation, students can expect to earn an average of $43,470 within ten years. This earning potential is especially significant given the college's commitment to affordability. With a net price of $12,896 after financial aid, many graduates find themselves in a stable position without being overwhelmed by debt. In fact, the median debt for students is only $7,500. This means that while many students start their careers, they do so with a manageable financial burden.
The bottom line is that this college is accessible and supportive for students who thrive in a practical learning environment. With 20% of students receiving Pell Grants, it’s clear that Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is committed to helping those who may need additional financial support. Those who tend to excel here are often those looking for a direct path to employment in fields that are both essential and rewarding.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Southwest Wisconsin Technical College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Fennimore, Wisconsin, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College enrolls students across a range of programs. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 60%.
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 Southwest Wisconsin Technical College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
When weighing the true cost of attending Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $7,147 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $12,896 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,918 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $7,500.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Southwest Wisconsin Technical College report median earnings of $43,470; prospective students should weigh that figure against the program's cost when calculating return on investment.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
How Southwest Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $12,896/year ($51,584 total). Graduates earn $43,470 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $893,201 in total earnings — a net gain of $841,617 (17.3× your investment). The median debt is $7,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 60% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
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 Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 1.55%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here: roughly 17.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a genuine foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 9.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $57,700, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Southwest Wisconsin Technical College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Southwest Wisconsin Technical College's most popular programs, with median pay and projected growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Southwest Wisconsin Technical College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
Based in Fennimore, Wisconsin, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College enrolls students across a range of programs. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 60%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Southwest Wisconsin Technical College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $7,147 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $12,896 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,918 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $7,500.
Is Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of Southwest Wisconsin Technical College report median earnings of $43,470; prospective students should weigh that figure against the program's cost when calculating return on investment.
Does Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 1.55%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here: roughly 17.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a genuine foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 9.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $57,700, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Southwest Wisconsin Technical College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks +
Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, with an economic connectedness score of 1.36 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Southwest Wisconsin Technical College.
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Southwest Wisconsin Technical College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, with an economic connectedness score of 1.36 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note