MADISON, Wis. (WRN) — Wisconsin’s higher ed funding takes another drop.
According to the latest analysis from a national organization of state higher education executives, the Universities of Wisconsin ranked 44th out of 50 states in public funding in 2024 — a drop of one spot from 2023. That’s behind Illinois and Michigan, which ranked 1st and 2nd, as well as below neighboring Iowa and Minnesota.
Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman said more public investment is urgent. Just 18 percent of the UW System’s current two-year budget of $13.7 billion comes from state taxpayers.
Governor Tony Evers’ budget proposal included the largest increase ever for the UW system – $856 million, a number unlikely to survive budget deliberations in the Republican controlled legislature.