Best Public Policy 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 public policy-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $107,550 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Wausau

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public policy 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-Madison

Madison, WI 130.9 miles from Wausau
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,792
Avg net price $17,354/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 246

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Policy 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)
Political Scientists N/A WI statewide –
Management Analysts $92,370 Wausau, WI $99,644
Economists $84,000 WI statewide $90,615
Social and Community Service Managers $79,060 Wausau, WI $85,286
Survey Researchers $92,660 WI statewide $99,957
Compliance Officers $73,320 Wausau, WI $79,094
General and Operations Managers $107,550 Wausau, WI $116,019
Financial and Investment Analysts $66,000 Wausau, WI $71,197

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 Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying public policy roles near Wausau?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles near Wausau are: General and Operations Managers ($107,550), Survey Researchers ($92,660), Management Analysts ($92,370). 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 public policy 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 public policy?

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 Public Policy 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.

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