Regional university
#3 Best colleges in the Milwaukee areaCarroll University
Waukesha, WI · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $15,193 a year
Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#66 of 690
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#79 of 681
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#142 of 1,046
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#179 of 950
- Best colleges for accounting in America#232 of 1,132
- Best colleges for nursing in America#219 of 1,068
Show 6 more
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#380 of 1,829
- Best colleges for business in America#346 of 1,563
- Best colleges for marketing in America#188 of 834
- Best colleges for education in America#298 of 1,318
- Best colleges in the Milwaukee area#3 of 13
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#293 of 1,238
In Wisconsin
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in Wisconsin#1 of 15
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Wisconsin#2 of 22
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Wisconsin#2 of 15
- Best colleges for art and design in Wisconsin#5 of 29
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Wisconsin#4 of 21
- Best colleges for accounting in Wisconsin#6 of 30
Show 22 more
- Best test-optional colleges in Wisconsin#7 of 34
- Best colleges for nursing in Wisconsin#5 of 24
- Best colleges for psychology in Wisconsin#6 of 28
- Best mid-size colleges in Wisconsin#4 of 18
- Best colleges for chemistry in Wisconsin#6 of 27
- Best colleges for English in Wisconsin#6 of 27
- Best colleges for history in Wisconsin#6 of 27
- Best colleges in Wisconsin#8 of 36
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Wisconsin#8 of 36
- Best colleges for computer science in Wisconsin#4 of 17
- Best colleges for business in Wisconsin#8 of 34
- Best colleges for music in Wisconsin#6 of 25
- Best colleges for education in Wisconsin#7 of 29
- Best colleges for finance in Wisconsin#5 of 20
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Wisconsin#6 of 24
- Best colleges for marketing in Wisconsin#6 of 24
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Wisconsin#7 of 28
- Best colleges for mathematics in Wisconsin#7 of 28
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Wisconsin#7 of 27
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Wisconsin#6 of 23
- Best value colleges in Wisconsin#4 of 15
- Best value colleges in the Midwest in Wisconsin#4 of 15
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.71%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.78%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,190 · ACT 24
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.14 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,831
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $52,639 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,623 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 33% · Women 67% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 27% |
| Total students | 3,176 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $15,193 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $52,639 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 71% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 57% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 58% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 72% |
| First-year retention | 78% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $58,009 |
| Admission rate | 67% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,119 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 23% |
| Average SAT | 1190 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 510–640 |
| SAT math | 530–630 |
| ACT composite | 21–27 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 35% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Accounting | |
| Finance | |
| Computer science | |
| Nursing | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Management science | |
| Biology | |
| Health administration | |
| Public health | |
| Business administration | |
| Marketing | |
| Psychology | |
| Allied health | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Special education | |
| Teacher education | |
| Secondary education | |
| Other education | |
| Graphic communications | |
| Zoology/Animal Biology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Biochemistry, Chemistry, Communication studies, Computing and information science, Design, Engineering Physics, English, Film and video, Fine arts, Global studies, Health sciences, History, Liberal arts, Managerial economics, Mathematics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Philosophy, Physiology and pathology, Political science, Rehabilitation and therapy, Religious studies, Romance languages, Sociology, Theatre, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness | |
| Business | |
| Biology | |
| Education |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 3% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 5% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $14,280 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin |
| ROTC | Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 14 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 5%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 38%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $28,927IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 68% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)About 17 miles away · about 35 minutes by car |
| Town population | 71,233Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | MilwaukeeAbout 14 miles away · about 30 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 20°F in January · 71°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Waukesha Wwtp, WI |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.32 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.32 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Carroll University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 26% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Carroll University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $15,193 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Carroll University?
- Carroll University admitted 67% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Carroll University’s graduates do?
- 71% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $58,009; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 238458
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Presbyterian Church (USA)
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