Best Photography Schools Near La Crosse, WI (2026)

La Crosse, Wisconsin has 1 accredited school offering photography programs. La Crosse has a population of about 51,791. Median household income is $53,803 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area, the top-earning photography-related role is Graphic Designer at a median $56,630 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Photography Schools to La Crosse

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

Carroll University

Waukesha, WI 160.8 miles from La Crosse
  • 4 year
59.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,009
Avg net price $15,193/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Concordia University-Wisconsin

Mequon, WI 171.8 miles from La Crosse
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • 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: 26

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Carthage College

Kenosha, WI 190.5 miles from La Crosse
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
47.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 87%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,950
Avg net price $26,565/yr
Tuition
In‑state$38,750
Out‑of‑state$38,750
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Photography Wages Near La Crosse

La Crosse is part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area (BLS area code 29100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Photographer$47,300La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN$51,525
Graphic Designer$56,630La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN$61,688

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.


La Crosse at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population51,791Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$53,803Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+34.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other La Crosse-Area Cities With Photography Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited photography schools are near La Crosse, WI?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering photography programs near La Crosse. The closest is Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, MN (61.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Rochester Community and Technical College (61.1 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying photography roles near La Crosse?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying photography-related roles near La Crosse are: Graphic Designer ($56,630), Photographer ($47,300). 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 Winona instead of La Crosse?

Winona, MN is 27.0 miles from La Crosse and has its own set of local photography programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is La Crosse an affordable place to study photography?

La Crosse’s median household income of $53,803 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in La Crosse 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 Photography Programs

Other Programs Available in La Crosse

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

Data verified: August 25, 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.