Which Liberal Arts Colleges Are in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin Area?

Education, Career and Salary Information

Liberal arts cover a broad array of fields, and your career opportunities will differ depending on your direction. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offered national job opportunity predictions for the 2010-2020 decade and reported annual mean wages for some liberal arts fields in the Milwaukee metropolitan area as of May 2011. Multimedia artists and animators were expected to see a job opportunity increase of 8%, and these workers earned about $48,000. Most of these artists have bachelor's degrees. Writers and authors earned nearly $52,000 and were expected to see jobs increase of 6%.

If you're not sure what to do with a degree in a field such as theology, history, or urban studies, you might consider teaching. Those looking to become high school teachers can generally find jobs once they have their bachelor's degrees, but they also need teaching certificates which may require further education. A teacher's salary is affected by the education level at which he or she works and the subject taught. In the Milwaukee - Waukesha - West Allis, WI metropolitan statistical area, liberal arts teachers' wages ranged from about $40,000 to over $85,000, the highest going to college-level communications professors.

Liberal Arts Bachelor's Degree Programs in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Alverno College

• Programs: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music
• Areas of Study: Art, English, history, interactive media design, global studies and international affairs, music, philosophy, political science, religious studies, sociology, and women's and gender studies
• Program Length: 4 years, full-time
• Tuition and Fees: $10,788 per year, full-time (2012-2013)
• Admission Requirements: ACT
• School Type: 4-year, private, not-for-profit, undergraduate population over 2,000
• Address: 3400 S. 43rd St., Milwaukee, WI 53234
• Phone: 414-382-6000

Alverno College is a Roman Catholic institution that only accepts women into the undergraduate programs. This school takes a different approach to college studies and is governed by the philosophy of learning by doing. Internships will be a required part of your curriculum in all programs. You'll receive narrative critiques rather than letter grades to give you more insight into your academic strengths and weaknesses.

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

• Programs: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts
• Areas of Study: Africology; anthropology; art; art history and criticism; classics; communication; comparative literature; dance; English; film; film studies; French; German; global studies/global cities; global studies/global communications; inter-arts; history; international studies; Italian; Jewish studies; journalism, advertising and media studies; Latin American, Caribbean and U.S. Latino studies; linguistics; music; philosophy; political science; religious studies; Russian; Spanish; sociology; theatre; women's studies
• Program Length: 4 years, full-time
• Tuition: Resident $9,380 per year, non-resident $19,088 per year (2012-2013)
• Admission Requirements: Personal statement
• School Type: 4-year, public, undergraduate population about 24,300, graduate population nearly 5,100
• Address: 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53201
• Phone: 414-229-1122

Some of the undergraduate programs may have additional entrance requirements, such as auditions or portfolio submissions, so check with the department for details. This school gives you the opportunity to participate in Living Learning Communities, which is a program that houses students with similar academic interests in the same dormitory areas. Several of the liberal arts programs are offered during evening hours, allowing entering freshmen to earn a degree in 5-8 years, while working full-time.

Carroll University

• Program: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music
• Areas of Study: Art; book art; communication; English; global studies; history; journalism; music; philosophy, politics and economics; photography; political science; public relations; religious studies; sociology; Spanish; theatre arts
• Program Length: About 128 credits
• Tuition: $25,899 per year, full-time (2012-2013)
• Admission Requirements: Personal statement
• School Type: 4-year, private, not-for-profit, undergraduate population about 4,400
• Address: 100 N. East Ave., Waukesha, WI 53186
• Phone: 265-547-1211

Carroll University is a Presbyterian, co-educational institution located about 15 miles east of Milwaukee. It's the oldest 4-year college in the state of Wisconsin and was actually chartered before the territory achieved statehood. This school encourages community engagement and spiritual development in students.

Concordia University - Wisconsin

• Program: Bachelor's degree
• Areas of Study: Art, Biblical languages, English, German, history, illustration, multi-media, music, philosophy, photography, political science, parish music, public relations, Spanish, theological languages, theology
• Program Length:
• Tuition: $23,970 per year, full-time (2012-2013)
• School Type: 4-year, private, not-for-profit, undergraduate population about 4,400
• Address: 12800 N. Lake Shore Dr., Mequon, WI 53097
• Phone: 262-243-5700

This school is affiliated with the Lutheran Church. Here, you'll be encouraged to participate in study abroad programs, such as co-curricular trips, foreign language immersion experiences, and missionary trips. Christian faith studies are included in the core curriculum for all the programs.

Liberal Arts Master's Degree Programs in Milwaukee

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

• Programs: Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Liberal Studies
• Areas of Study: Anthropology; art; art history; communication; English; history; language, literature and translation; liberal studies; media studies; music; performing arts; philosophy; political science; sociology; Spanish; urban studies; women's studies
• Program Length: 30 credits
• Tuition: On-campus, resident $5,741 for 8+ credits, non-resident $11,974 for 8+ credits (2012-2013)
• Admission Requirements: Bachelor's degree, proof of English language proficiency, reason statement
• School Type: 4-year, public, undergraduate population about 24,300, graduate population nearly 5,100
• Address: 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53201
• Phone: 414-229-1122

Each program may have specific, program-specific, admission requirements, so it's advisable to check with your department before applying. Graduate students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain in the program. You can take up to seven years to earn your degree.

Liberal Arts Doctoral Programs in Milwaukee

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

• Programs: Doctor of Philosophy
• Areas of Study: Africology, anthropology, communication, English, history, linguistics, political science, sociology, urban studies
• Program Length: 10 years, maximum
• Tuition: On-campus, resident $5,741 for 8+ credits, non-resident $11,974 for 8+ credits (2012-2013)
• Admission Requirements: Bachelor's degree, proof of English language proficiency, reason statement
• School Type: 4-year, public, undergraduate population about 24,300, graduate population nearly 5,100
• Address: 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53201
• Phone: 414-229-1122

This university is one of only two in Wisconsin to offer doctoral programs. Factors such as admission requirements and credits towards completion vary by program, and you can get specific details through the respective departments. Like the master's degree students, you'll need to maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain in your program.