Menomonie, Wis. – The decision to return to school as an adult or working professional can come
with additional considerations. They need flexible, affordable programs that fit their needs, allowing
them to balance work, personal time or family life.
University of Wisconsin-Stout’s Stout Online helps working professionals begin or complete their
degree and advance their career goals through more than 30 online bachelor’s and master’s
programs, as well as dozens of certificates, certifications, individual courses and development
opportunities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, depending on a person’s career field, the average salary
with an associate’s degree is about $55,000, jumping to $77,000 with a bachelor’s degree and
$90,000 with a master’s degree.
Stout Online offers some of the Best Online Programs in the nation, according to U.S. News & World
Report’s 2025 rankings. Four of the university’s programs were named:
Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs: Top 20 in the Midwest, No. 70 overall
Best Online Master’s in Education Programs: Top 45 in the Midwest, No. 150 overall
Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs: Top 15 in the Midwest, No. 87 overall
UW-Stout was ranked as No. 230 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs, with its most popular online
degrees including management; business information technology; cybersecurity; digital marketing
technology; human development and family studies; technology education; and hospitality,
restaurant and tourism management.
In three of its four acknowledgments, UW-Stout was ranked second in Wisconsin. U.S. News
surveyed more than 1,800 accredited programs nationally.
“As Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, we have an applied learning portfolio across all modalities:
online, hybrid and in-person,” said Provost Glendalí Rodríguez, vice chancellor of Academic Affairs.
“Our programs are responsive to workforce needs and it is important to meet students where they
are. For many students, with work and/or family commitments, that means the need for a flexible
and quality online educational experience. UW-Stout is committed to helping students achieve
career advancement opportunities through our online offerings,” she said.
Stout Online: designed with working professionals in mind
UW-Stout faculty are experienced, industry experts dedicated to teaching the latest in technology
and trends in their fields. Small cohorts build close communities and share a wealth of diverse
perspectives to enhance each other’s learning.
Students in the M.S. in manufacturing engineering, in the Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering,
advance their skills through assignments and projects that apply to real-life industry problems. They
build expertise in continuous process improvement, lean manufacturing, project management and
manufacturing engineering processes. Students may also choose to earn a Six Sigma Black Belt
Certificate.
The median annual wage for industrial engineers in the U.S. is $99,000, with employment growth
projected at 12% over the next decade.
The M.S. in education is a 30-credit degree program built around a core of 18 teaching and applied
research credits, with a selection of 12 elective credits to meet students’ career interests. Students
may earn one of a dozen professional certificates or certifications, including Autism Spectrum
Disorder Specialist, Instructional Design, Math Specialist, Reading Specialist or Teaching Adult
Learners.
UW-Stout’s School of Education also offers master’s programs in critically needed areas of school
counseling, and school psychology, as well as career and technical education and an Ed.D. in career
and technical education leadership.
UW-Stout’s online bachelor’s in management program, offered through the School of Management,
has been ranked No. 10 among the best online programs by BestAccreditedColleges.com. It offers
eight concentrations to help professionals reach their career goals:
Business management
Facilities operation management
Human resource management
Operations management
Project management
Quality management
Risk control and safety management
Supply chain management
UW-Stout graduates are in demand, with 99% employed soon after earning their degree, with
undergraduates receiving a record average starting salary of $58,000, the best among higher
education institutions in west-central Wisconsin.
Money Magazine named UW-Stout one of two public Best Colleges in Wisconsin, as well as one of
the 45 Best in the Midwest, for its focus on affordability and student outcomes.
UW-Stout is proud to be the first of the 13 Universities of Wisconsin to be certified for excellence in
distance education practices. Its FOCUS2030 strategic plan includes five key goals, led by student
success.
UW-Stout, a member of the Universities of Wisconsin, is Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, with a
focus on applied learning, collaboration with business and industry, and career outcomes. Learn
more via the FOCUS2030 strategic plan.
