UW-Stout Polytechnic placed among the 25 top regional public universities in the Midwest as well as the in top 20 “Best Value” public universities in the region, according to the latest rankings by U.S. News & World Report.
The 2027 Best Colleges list released by the magazine on Tuesday, Sept. 22, included UW-Stout Polytechnic and its programs in several key categories:
- Top Public Schools – Regional Universities (Midwest): 25th, rising from 30th the prior year
- Best Value Schools for In-State Students (Midwest): 15th among public universities
- Best Value Schools – Regional Universities (Midwest): 20th among public universities
- Best Colleges for Veterans – Regional Universities (Midwest): 24th among public universities
- Undergraduate Engineering Programs (Non-doctoral): 14th among public universities in the Midwest. The program’s ranking rose 74 spots among all public and private universities nationwide from the previous year.
These rankings reflect the university’s ongoing commitment to its polytechnic tenets, which are part of all programs at UW-Stout Polytechnic, including those in the Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering.
“Our ABET-accredited engineering programs are built around the university’s polytechnic approach to education – combining strong technical foundations with extensive hands-on learning, applied problem-solving and close engagement with industry. Unlike theory-based programs, our students go beyond engineering principles by learning to apply them to real-world challenges through laboratories, R&D projects, internships and industry partner collaborative experiences as early as their first semester,” said Professor David Ding, director of the Cervenka School of Engineering. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty and staff and, most importantly, the quality of our students and graduates. We are very proud that our engineering graduates leave UW-Stout Polytechnic with the technical knowledge, practical experience, industry recognized certificates and professional skills needed to contribute immediately to their careers and continue growing as engineers and leaders.”
The Cervenka School of Engineering is home to ABET-accredited programs in computer and electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, plastics engineering and engineering technology, as well as a nationally ranked bachelor’s program in packaging. A master’s in manufacturing engineering is available on campus or online.
The latest accolades from U.S. News and other ranking authorities reflect the ongoing value of the education offered by UW-Stout Polytechnic. According to the most recent survey, 99% of graduates are employed or pursuing advanced degrees within six months of graduation. And those who received undergraduate degrees in 2024-25 reported an average starting salary of $59,000, a 4% increase from the prior year. For seven consecutive years, average starting salaries for undergraduate degree holders from UW-Stout Polytechnic have been the highest among universities in western Wisconsin.
And most recently, an independent assessment of the university’s economic impact found that for every dollar students spend on a UW-Stout Polytechnic degree, they receive $4.70 in higher lifetime earnings.
Last summer, the university was ranked among the top 50 on a list of America’s Best Value Public Universities in a study conducted by SmartAsset, which provides consumer-focused financial information. Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of Best Online Programs named three UW-Stout Polytechnic programs among the best in the Midwest and nation, including Best Online Bachelor’s in Business, Best Online Master’s in Education and Best Online Master’s in Engineering.
UW-Stout Polytechnic is also ranked highly for serving veterans and the military community, earning the coveted gold designation as a Military Friendly® School for 2026-27 as well as being honored on the Best for Vets Colleges list by Military Times.
Many of the university’s programs have been cited among the best in the nation and even the world:
- CEOWorld ranked the hotel, restaurant and tourism management program as No. 9 among the Best Hospitality and Hotel Management Programs in the World.
- The game design programs were ranked No. 6 in the Midwest and No. 17 among all U.S. public universities by Animation Career Review.
- The cybersecurity program ranked No. 14 among the Top 25 programs in the United States, according to Programs.com.
- College Factual placed numerous UW-Stout Polytechnic programs – including graphic communications, video production, packaging and manufacturing engineering – among the best in the Great Lakes region. And that’s just for starters.
UW-Stout Polytechnic, the only polytechnic university in Wisconsin or Minnesota, provides students with three times as many labs as traditional classrooms. Each year, students take part in approximately 1,000 co-op and internship experiences, more than one-third of which lead to job offers. In fact, this spring 77% of UW-Stout Polytechnic students were hired before graduation.
In recent years, Blue Devil graduates have gone to work for hundreds of firms with household names or Fortune 500 rankings, including Amazon, Cigna, General Motors, Citigroup, Ashley Furniture, Andersen Windows, Boeing, Milwaukee Tool, Boston Scientific, Harley-Davidson, FedEx, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM, Nike, Oshkosh Corp., Rockwell Automation, Target and 3M.
