Best General Studies Schools Near Waukesha, WI (2026)

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

Waukesha, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs, with tuition ranging from $35,420 to $66,768 per year for indexed programs. Waukesha has a population of about 8,479. Median household income is $126,286 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area, the top-earning general studies-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $125,490 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest General Studies Schools to Waukesha

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer general studies programs near Waukesha, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Waukesha 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 Waukesha. 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

Herzing University-Brookfield

Brookfield, WI 7.1 miles from Waukesha
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,909
Avg net price $20,514/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Mount Mary University

Milwaukee, WI 11.7 miles from Waukesha
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
48.5 BOC Score
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
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Alverno College

Milwaukee, WI 14.3 miles from Waukesha
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,145
Avg net price $22,540/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI 16.2 miles from Waukesha
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 81%
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,257
Avg net price $31,487/yr
Tuition
In‑state$51,170
Out‑of‑state$51,170
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 120

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI 19.1 miles from Waukesha
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,990
Avg net price $15,014/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Flex

Milwaukee, WI 19.1 miles from Waukesha
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
40.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,990
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Concordia University-Wisconsin

Mequon, WI 23.7 miles from Waukesha
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
47.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,075
Avg net price $36,201/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,470
Out‑of‑state$35,470
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Whitewater, WI 27.8 miles from Waukesha
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,356
Avg net price $14,158/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

General Studies Wages Near Waukesha

Waukesha is part of the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area (BLS area code 33340). 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)
General and Operations Managers $125,490 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $129,505
Management Analysts $102,900 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $106,192
Human Resources Specialists $74,970 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $77,368
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $73,880 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $76,244
Writers and Authors $63,910 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $65,955
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $75,370 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $77,781
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $73,970 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $76,336
Social and Community Service Managers $82,290 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $84,923

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.

Waukesha at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 8,479 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $126,286 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 47.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 96.9 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Waukesha-Area Cities With General Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited general studies schools are near Waukesha, WI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs near Waukesha. The closest is Waukesha County Technical College in Pewaukee, WI (4.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Marquette University (16.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying general studies roles near Waukesha?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying general studies-related roles near Waukesha are: General and Operations Managers ($125,490), Management Analysts ($102,900), Social and Community Service Managers ($82,290). 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 New Berlin instead of Waukesha?

New Berlin, WI is 6.4 miles from Waukesha and has its own set of local general studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Waukesha an affordable place to study general studies?

Waukesha’s median household income of $126,286 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waukesha 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 General Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Waukesha

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

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 General Studies Schools in Wisconsin (2026)