Wisconsin drops to 44th in public funding for 4-year universities

GREEN BAY, WI (WGBW) – Dropping one spot from 2023, Wisconsin now ranks 44th of the 50 states in public funding of four-year universities. That news comes after the release of the latest national study on higher education funding. 

Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman said last week that the State Higher Education Finance report, released earlier this month and covering funding in 2024, is further evidence of the urgency for more state investment in public universities.

“Wisconsin is renowned for its affordable and accessible public universities. Yet we can’t languish at the bottom anymore without seriously jeopardizing Wisconsin’s economic vibrancy,” said Rothman. “The budget proposal before the state legislature for the UWs would simply bring us up to the middle nationally in funding, but it would provide essential investments to preserve the quality and advance the innovation that Wisconsin expects of its UWs.”

Businesses support public funding of UW system

Rothman used the study as an opportunity to announce that nearly 800 business officials, business groups, and individuals have signed a letter of support for additional state investment in the UWs. 

“The UWs are proud to be joined by business leaders to share the support of hundreds of representatives of businesses and organizations throughout the state,” said Rothman. “Coming from the private sector, they know what I know – that Wisconsin will not win the war for talent if it does not make sound and competitive investments in higher education.”

He made the announcement ahead of a panel discussion at TitletownTech about the role the UWs play in the economic vibrancy of northeast Wisconsin and the entire state.

Among the signatories are representatives of the following: 

• Green Bay Packers
• Milwaukee Bucks
• Northwestern Mutual
• Sentry Insurance
• Rockwell Automation
• Epic Systems
• Skyward
• Delta Dental
• Bartolotta Restaurants
• Quad
• Snap-on
• Exact Sciences
• Uline
• Oshkosh Corp. 

Twenty business groups from around the state have also signed on, including:

• New North
• Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation
• Oshkosh Chamber
• Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
• Greater Milwaukee Committee
• BioForward
• HOAN Group
• Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce.

“Larger employers, especially in health care, know of the critical need to recruit and retain talent here in Wisconsin,” Regent Ashok Rai, President and CEO of Prevea Health said. “Our UWs, from our comprehensives to our flagship, are key to meeting the future workforce needs here in northwest Wisconsin and across the entire state.”

The State Higher Education Finance report (SHEF) was produced by the State Higher Education Executive Offers Association and has been a respected source on state higher education funding for years. It defines public funding as both state funding and tuition. Find the report, including state rankings in Figure 4.2, the SHEF website here.