Best Economics Schools Near Wausau, WI (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Wausau, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs, with tuition ranging from $56,982 to $69,849 per year for indexed programs. Wausau has a population of about 39,893. Median household income is $61,877 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Wisconsin, the top-earning economics-related role is Statistician at a median $107,150 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Economics Schools to Wausau

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer economics programs near Wausau, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Wausau city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Wausau. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Stevens Point, WI 30.1 miles from Wausau
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,021
Avg net price $14,559/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lawrence University

Appleton, WI 78.1 miles from Wausau
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
59.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 64%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,789
Avg net price $23,401/yr
Tuition
In‑state$56,982
Out‑of‑state$56,982
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Oshkosh, WI 84.2 miles from Wausau
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,548
Avg net price $14,305/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 102

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Saint Norbert College

De Pere, WI 85.2 miles from Wausau
  • 4 year
56.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,363
Avg net price $26,172/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Ripon College

Ripon, WI 86.8 miles from Wausau
  • 4 year
46.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,902
Avg net price $20,216/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Green Bay, WI 89.6 miles from Wausau
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,528
Avg net price $13,369/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 69

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Eau Claire, WI 91.7 miles from Wausau
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,561
Avg net price $16,550/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

La Crosse, WI 111.4 miles from Wausau
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,378
Avg net price $16,210/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Wisconsin schools on the Wisconsin economics page.

Economics Wages Near Wausau

Wausau is part of the Wausau, WI metro area (BLS area code 48140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Economist$84,000WI statewide$90,615
Financial and Investment Analyst$66,000Wausau, WI$71,197
Statistician$107,150WI statewide$115,588
Management Analyst$92,370Wausau, WI$99,644

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Wausau at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population39,893Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,877Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+30.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Wausau-Area Cities With Economics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited economics schools are near Wausau, WI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs near Wausau. The closest is University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in Stevens Point, WI (30.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ripon College (86.8 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying economics roles near Wausau?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying economics-related roles near Wausau are: Statistician ($107,150), Management Analyst ($92,370), Economist ($84,000). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Wisconsin statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Stevens Point instead of Wausau?

Stevens Point, WI is 30.6 miles from Wausau and has its own set of local economics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Wausau an affordable place to study economics?

Wausau’s median household income of $61,877 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wausau while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Economics Programs

Other Programs Available in Wausau

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Wausau:

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Economics Schools in Wisconsin: Online Programs (2026)