Kenosha, Wisconsin Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin: median public in-state tuition $10,860 (+97.0% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $51,129 (-6.0% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 91.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $20,492 (+54.4% vs U.S.) 11,087 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 6 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 11,087 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $10,860 (+97.0% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $51,129 (-6.0% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 91.2% (+3.2 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $23,066 (+131.4% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $20,492 (+54.4% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $14,211
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 64.3%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 68.7%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Kenosha serve students across Wisconsin with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 6 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 11,087 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $10,860. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Kenosha, Wisconsin and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Kenosha vs Wisconsin & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenosha, Wisconsin | $10,860 | $23,066 | $20,492 | 64.3% | 11,087 |
| Wisconsin (state median) | $5,112 | $12,252 | $20,492 | 56.0% | 227,817 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Kenosha, Wisconsin vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenosha, Wisconsin | $51,129 | 91.2% | 68.7% | 7.8% | — | 66.3% | 0.46 |
| Wisconsin (state median) | $55,452 | 94.3% | 76.4% | 3.2% | — | 81.8% | 0.42 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Wisconsin (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenosha, Wisconsin | $10,860 | $23,066 | $20,492 | 64.3% | 11,087 | $51,129 | 91.2% |
| Madison | $12,526 | $19,549 | $17,272 | 44.6% | 50,789 | $66,760 | 94.2% |
| Madison | $12,526 | $19,549 | $17,272 | 44.6% | 50,789 | $66,760 | 94.2% |
| Madison | $12,526 | $19,549 | $17,272 | 44.6% | 50,789 | $66,760 | 94.2% |
| Milwaukee | $35,765 | $22,453 | $23,470 | 63.6% | 43,045 | $54,827 | 92.7% |
| La Crosse | $10,070 | $16,210 | $22,500 | 69.7% | 13,709 | $58,019 | 96.1% |
| Eau Claire | $7,243 | $16,550 | $16,170 | 63.8% | 13,227 | $58,561 | 95.7% |
| Green Bay | $8,700 | $13,369 | $18,000 | 56.7% | 12,536 | $64,375 | 95.6% |
| Appleton | $31,011 | $19,436 | $10,196 | 76.8% | 7,339 | $55,789 | 86.1% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top 3 colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 72.2%, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 64.3%, Carthage College
Carthage College
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 40.4%, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Top 3 colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 93.0%, Carthage College
Carthage College
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 91.2%, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 85.1%, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
Top 3 most selective colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 75.4%, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 87.1%, Carthage College
Carthage College
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 92.0%, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
Top 3 colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $75,774, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $74,265, Carthage College
Carthage College
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $64,354, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Top 3 colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $106,611, Carthage College
Carthage College
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $91,010, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $89,495, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Top 3 colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $46,116, Carthage College
Carthage College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,154, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $35,295, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
Top 3 colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $51,288, Carthage College
Carthage College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $47,336, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $38,007, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
Top 3 colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $56,950, Carthage College
Carthage College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $51,129, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $36,909, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
Top 3 colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $175,736, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $124,350, Carthage College
Carthage College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $68,990, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
Top 3 most affordable colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $11,772, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
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Rank 2, Net Price, $23,066, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
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Rank 3, Net Price, $26,565, Carthage College
Carthage College
Top 3 colleges in Kenosha, Wisconsin by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 73.4%, Carthage College
Carthage College
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 68.7%, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 57.1%, Herzing University-Kenosha
Herzing University-Kenosha
In-state tuition: Kenosha, Wisconsin vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Kenosha, Wisconsin median in-state tuition is $10,860, +97.0% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Kenosha, Wisconsin vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Kenosha, Wisconsin is $20,492 (+54.4% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $14,211.
Median earnings (10 years out): Kenosha, Wisconsin vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Kenosha, Wisconsin center around $51,129 (-6.0% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Kenosha, Wisconsin vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 91.2% at the median Kenosha, Wisconsin campus (+3.2 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Kenosha, Wisconsin median public in-state tuition is $10,860, about +97.0% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is +93.1%.
Median graduate debt is $20,492 (+54.4% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Kenosha, Wisconsin are $51,129, about -6.0% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 91.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (+3.2 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 68.7% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 7.8% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 66.3% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Carthage College (93.0%), University of Wisconsin-Parkside (91.2%), Herzing University-Kenosha (85.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Kenosha, Wisconsin is 64.3% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Kenosha?
This city profile covers 6 campuses in Kenosha, Wisconsin with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Kenosha?
Median in-state tuition in Kenosha is $10,860 and median net price is $23,066. For Wisconsin overall, medians are $5,112 and $12,252; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Kenosha?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Kenosha is $51,129 vs $55,452 for Wisconsin and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Kenosha colleges?
Median completer debt in Kenosha is $20,492 vs $20,492 for Wisconsin and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Kenosha?
Top campuses on this page include Herzing University-Kenosha (graduation) and Carthage College (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Kenosha?
Among 6 campuses in Kenosha, Wisconsin, 3 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Gateway Technical College, Herzing University-Kenosha, and The Salon Professional Academy-Kenosha; 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Evangelical Lutheran Church (1).
Sources & related
- Wisconsin college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON