Best Fashion Schools Near Wausau, WI (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Wausau, Wisconsin is home to about 39,893 residents. 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 the Wausau, WI metro area, the top-earning fashion-related role is Marketing Managers at a median $141,150 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Fashion Schools to Wausau

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer fashion 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.

Acceptance rate 62%

Graduation rate 50%

Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,745

Avg net price $20,144/yr

Tuition

In‑state$35,420

Out‑of‑state$35,420

Contact

2900 N. Menomonee River Pky Milwaukee, WI 53222-4597
(414) 930-3000
Visit website

Key stats

Retention rate: 67%
Programs offered: 33

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDS College Scorecard

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

Fashion 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.

Occupation	Median Wage	Source	COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Fashion Designers	$57,030	WI statewide	$61,521
Marketing Managers	$141,150	Wausau, WI	$152,265
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	$64,100	Wausau, WI	$69,148
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers	$45,110	Wausau, WI	$48,662
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists	$65,060	Wausau, WI	$70,183
Graphic Designers	$55,230	Wausau, WI	$59,579
Commercial and Industrial Designers	$80,590	WI statewide	$86,936

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

Metric	Value	Source
Population	39,893	Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income	$61,877	Census 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 Fashion Programs

Stevens Point, WI – 30.6 mi away (43,735 pop)
Wisconsin Rapids, WI – 40.3 mi away (28,406 pop)
Appleton, WI – 77.7 mi away (221,379 pop)
Neenah, WI – 79.5 mi away (25,914 pop)
Oshkosh, WI – 83.9 mi away (75,057 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying fashion roles near Wausau?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying fashion-related roles near Wausau are: Marketing Managers ($141,150), Commercial and Industrial Designers ($80,590), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($65,060). 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 fashion 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 fashion?

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 Fashion Programs

Other Programs Available in Wausau

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

Data verified: September 5, 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 Fashion Schools in Wisconsin: Online Programs (2026)