2026 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in Wisconsin

[Ethnic Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/ethnic-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong ethnic studies education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 18 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for ethnic studies students.
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2026 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in Wisconsin
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in ethnic studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools
For return on investment in ethnic studies, no school beat University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh this year. Located in the city of Oshkosh, University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,532, with out-of-state students paying around $16,446. Typical student debt for ethnic studies graduates is $24,619. Early-career ethnic studies graduates make about $50,590. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh admits about 86% of applicants.
University Of Wisconsin Whitewater is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ethnic studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Whitewater, University Of Wisconsin Whitewater is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,616, compared with $18,716 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for ethnic studies graduates is $25,306. Soon after graduation, ethnic studies degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Whitewater generally make around $45,767. That is a strong return on a $25,306 median debt. University Of Wisconsin Whitewater admits about 86% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Wisconsin Madison one of the best values for ethnic studies. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Ethnic Studies graduates carry a median of $19,750 in student loans. Early-career ethnic studies graduates make about $28,841. That is a strong return on a $19,750 median debt. University Of Wisconsin Madison admits about 45% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee earned it the #4 place for ethnic studies. Set in the city of Milwaukee, University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,398, while out-of-state students pay about $22,398. Typical student debt for ethnic studies graduates is $25,730. Soon after graduation, ethnic studies degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee generally make around $29,887. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Eau Claire earned it the #5 place for ethnic studies. Set in the city of Eau Claire, University Of Wisconsin Eau Claire is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,642 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,228. Students borrow a median of $22,574 to complete the ethnic studies program here. Early-career ethnic studies graduates make about $49,911. Set against $22,574 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.