University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Among “Best Colleges for Rural America”

Saturday, September 12th, 2026 -- 11:00 AM

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point was named among the “Best Colleges for Rural America” by the Washington Monthly magazine, ranking first among the rural Universities of Wisconsin campuses.

UW-Stevens Point was ranked 47th out of 100 rural universities, notably for having in-state students and graduates, a low net price and degrees for having programs in high-demand fields for rural communities.

UW-Stevens Point shares this distinction with two other Wisconsin universities, UW-Platteville (48) and UW-Whitewater (71). The magazine chose from a list of 1,000 identified Rural Serving Post-Secondary Institutions Project, filtering out for-profit and two-year schools.

Institutions were ranked using the magazine’s social mobility metrics, which measure the extent to which a college or university educates economically disadvantaged students at lower tuition and graduates them into good paying jobs.

This included the percent of students receiving Pell Grants, the annual net price students from median-income and below pay, median student loan debt and the earnings of alumni.

The listed colleges offer degrees in programs that are needed in rural areas, such as natural resources and conservation, engineering, agriculture, health care, parks and recreation, public administration, social services and education.

Rural schools also enroll more first-generation students, adult students and Native American students, said the magazine. “As someone who grew up in a rural area, I appreciate how rural universities ensure that their students are supported and that they go on to serve businesses and people in their own communities,” said UWSP Chancellor Bob Brinkmann.

“UW-Stevens Point ensures that our graduates are well-prepared, not just for jobs, but for professional careers that are in demand in regional rural areas. This retains local talent and returns taxpayers’ investment in education.”

(Photo courtesy of UW-Stevens Point via press release)

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