36 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in Wisconsin

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Wisconsin ranked based on their research performance in Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 8.17M citations received by 226K academic papers made by 36 universities in Wisconsin was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#14 in the United States

#15 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 60%

2. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#128 in the United States

#150 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $6,347

3. Medical College of Wisconsin

Milwaukee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#143 in the United States

#166 in North America

Enrollment: 1,677
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1893

4. Marquette University

Milwaukee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#158 in the United States

#183 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1280
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $34,322

5. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

Oshkosh

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#378 in the United States

#424 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $6,605

6. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#391 in the United States

#439 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $5,663

7. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#413 in the United States

#461 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $5,685

8. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#462 in the United States

#513 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 78%
Average Aid: $4,499

9. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#570 in the United States

#626 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $7,611

10. Lawrence University

Appleton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#579 in the United States

#635 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $27,161

11. University of Wisconsin - Parkside

Kenosha

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#603 in the United States

#660 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $7,598

12. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#610 in the United States

#669 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $5,014

13. University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#717 in the United States

#783 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 78%
Average Aid: $6,335

14. Beloit College

Beloit

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#721 in the United States

#787 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1315
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $24,455

15. Concordia University - Wisconsin

Mequon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#804 in the United States

#874 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $31,916
Receiving Aid: 100%

16. University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#817 in the United States

#887 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $4,176

17. Saint Norbert College

De Pere

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#905 in the United States

#977 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1162
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $27,880

18. Carthage College

Kenosha

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#930 in the United States

#1002 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $27,066
Receiving Aid: 100%

19. Madison Area Technical College

Madison

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#936 in the United States

#1008 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 43%
Average Aid: $5,872
Enrollment: 13,641

20. University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#938 in the United States

#1010 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $4,780

21. Viterbo University

La Crosse

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#947 in the United States

#1019 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $21,933
Receiving Aid: 100%

22. University of Wisconsin - Superior

Superior

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#968 in the United States

#1040 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 78%
Average Aid: $5,585

23. Carroll University

Waukesha

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1009 in the United States

#1085 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1155
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $27,031

24. Edgewood College

Madison

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1150 in the United States

#1228 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Net Price: $27,038
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,885

25. Alverno College

Milwaukee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1152 in the United States

#1230 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Net Price: $24,425
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $27,086

26. Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1167 in the United States

#1245 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Net Price: $25,669
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $36,997

27. Ripon College

Ripon

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1169 in the United States

#1247 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $23,772

28. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1257 in the United States

#1337 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $20,002
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $28,670

29. Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology

Milwaukee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1382 in the United States

#1464 in North America

Enrollment: 78
Male:Female: 16:84
Founded: 1978

30. Northland College

Ashland

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1440 in the United States

#1526 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $23,253

31. Mount Mary University

Milwaukee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1464 in the United States

#1550 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $20,390
Receiving Aid: 100%

32. Lakeland University

Plymouth

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1507 in the United States

#1595 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Net Price: $24,253
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,559

33. Nashotah House

Nashotah

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1543 in the United States

#1632 in North America

Enrollment: 143
Male:Female: 86:14

34. Wisconsin Lutheran College

Milwaukee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1627 in the United States

#1717 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $24,095

35. Herzing University - Madison

Madison

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1670 in the United States

#1761 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Net Price: $22,422
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $5,621

36. Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology

Franklin

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1724 in the United States

#1815 in North America

Enrollment: 128
Male:Female: 90:10

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Michigan	47	3
Minnesota	30	18
Iowa	32	44
Illinois	79	12
Indiana	38	39
Missouri	44	40
Ohio	67	19
South Dakota	12	331
Kentucky	29	60
North Dakota	9	216
Nebraska	15	87
West Virginia	20	120
Kansas	22	74
Tennessee	39	46
Pennsylvania	114	9
Arkansas	18	146
Virginia	42	37
New York	146	6
District of Columbia	13	48
Maryland	28	8
Oklahoma	22	103
Mississippi	15	177
North Carolina	50	20
Delaware	4	97
New Jersey	29	22
Alabama	30	82
Vermont	12	124
South Carolina	32	68
Georgia	52	42
Connecticut	22	10
New Hampshire	13	84
Massachusetts	75	1
Colorado	24	52
Rhode Island	9	56
Louisiana	27	79
Montana	9	166
Maine	16	199
Texas	89	21
New Mexico	9	100
Utah	11	45
Idaho	7	193
Florida	70	31
Arizona	10	29
Nevada	8	149
Washington	39	5
Oregon	21	96
California	147	2
Puerto Rico	15	414
Alaska	4	233
Hawaii	7	106