Do Students Succeed at Madison Area Technical College?
How do students at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, WI fare? Explore completion rates, transfers, and key outcomes.
Student Success at Madison Area Technical College at a Glance
Madison Area Technical College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Madison, WI. Current enrollment is 13,641 students.
- 28.9% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 42.5% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 83% of exiters from its largest program (Associate Degree Nursing (R.N.)) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $14,338 per quarter after exiting Associate Degree Nursing (R.N.)
- 3,952 graduates across 224 programs in 2025
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 388 students used them here
Program-Level Results · Verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
Verified Program Outcomes
Completion and employment results reported to the U.S. Department of Labor for Madison Area Technical College programs on the state Eligible Training Provider List. Missing values ("—") mean the state suppressed or did not report that metric — they never mean zero.
| Program | Completion rate | Employed 6 mo after exit | Employed 1 yr after exit | Median quarterly earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree Nursing (R.N.) | 56% | 83% | 67% | $14,338 |
| Nursing Assistant | 92% | 60% | 51% | $5,035 |
| Business Management | 30% | 74% | 55% | $9,343 |
| Emergency Medical Technician | 82% | 70% | 54% | $8,827 |
| Veterinary Technician | 37% | 80% | 62% | $7,541 |
| Practical Nursing | 22% | 78% | 50% | $8,433 |
| Accounting | 44% | 77% | 63% | $9,869 |
| Graphic Design | 50% | 70% | 56% | $7,118 |
| IT- Web Software Developer | 37% | 69% | 57% | $11,189 |
| Criminal Justice Studies | 37% | 83% | 62% | $8,535 |
| IT- Cybersecurity Specialist | 37% | 74% | 49% | $10,261 |
| Medical Assitant | 43% | 82% | 60% | $8,688 |
| Human Services Associate | 33% | 73% | 54% | $7,504 |
| Early Childhood Education | 39% | 73% | 53% | $7,687 |
| Dental Assistant | 45% | 83% | 63% | $7,697 |
| Medical Coding Specialist | 38% | 76% | 55% | $10,315 |
| Fire Service Certification | 54% | 65% | 49% | $5,915 |
| Marketing | 37% | 70% | 55% | $8,423 |
| Legal Studies/Paralegal | 32% | 71% | 46% | $8,900 |
| Human Resource Management | 44% | 78% | 65% | $10,701 |
| Radiography | 42% | 85% | 71% | $10,126 |
| Dental Hygienist | 62% | 89% | 73% | $10,733 |
| Fire Protection Technician | 33% | 82% | 61% | $8,214 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 42% | 78% | 61% | $7,486 |
| Accounting Assistant | 77% | 77% | 58% | $10,533 |
| Cosmetology | 38% | 71% | 52% | $5,948 |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | 29% | 76% | 57% | $10,318 |
| Finance | 24% | 74% | 53% | $9,267 |
| Basic Early Childhood Educator | 75% | 74% | 51% | $7,523 |
| Phlebotomist/Specimen Processor | 88% | 69% | 55% | $7,631 |
| Entrepreneurship | 40% | 49% | 36% | $6,362 |
| Respiratory Therapist | 46% | 77% | 59% | $12,241 |
| Surgical Technology | 29% | 85% | 68% | $10,263 |
| Welding | 67% | 76% | 58% | $10,833 |
| Automotive Technician | 50% | 76% | 62% | $9,107 |
| IT- Network Specialist | 36% | 78% | 65% | $10,360 |
| Interior Design | 36% | 77% | 63% | $7,513 |
| Architectural Technology | 47% | 74% | 54% | $9,852 |
| Small Business Entrepreneurship | 62% | 50% | — | $8,195 |
| Culinary Arts | 30% | 75% | 61% | $7,871 |
| Electrical Engineering Technology | 26% | 60% | 54% | $9,473 |
| Paramedic | 83% | 94% | 72% | $16,681 |
| IT- Systems Admin Specialist | 48% | 80% | 67% | $11,009 |
| Video Audio Design | 39% | 72% | 55% | $6,531 |
| Animation | 27% | 76% | 59% | $5,295 |
| Legal Studies/Paralegal Post-Baccalaureate | 53% | 67% | 52% | $11,432 |
| Electrical Maintenance (Industrial Maintenance) | 78% | 57% | 41% | $12,295 |
| Web & Digital Media Design | 39% | 71% | 59% | $8,943 |
| IT - Front End Developer | 39% | 74% | 45% | $10,389 |
| Construction and Remodeling | 46% | 69% | 55% | $9,910 |
| Digital Marketing | 68% | 67% | 53% | $9,581 |
| Addiction Studies | 76% | 77% | 53% | $9,288 |
| Administrative Professional | 45% | 70% | 57% | $9,122 |
| Early Childhood Education Preschool | 77% | 79% | 55% | $8,084 |
| Marketing-Social Media | 78% | 69% | 51% | $9,753 |
| Photography | 50% | 70% | 54% | $6,790 |
| Criminal Justice- Law Enforcement 720 Academy | 96% | 86% | 66% | $18,107 |
| Basic Industrial Power (Industrial Maintenance) | 92% | 58% | 43% | $12,614 |
| Child Care Services | 80% | 80% | 57% | $7,988 |
| IT-Cloud DevOps Specialist | 42% | 80% | 48% | $11,757 |
| IT-Desktop Support Technician | 68% | 76% | 66% | $9,622 |
| Biotechnology Laboratory Technician | 46% | 71% | 62% | $9,197 |
| Mechanical Design Technology | 56% | 68% | 61% | $13,174 |
| Fitness, Recreation, and Wellness Management | 38% | 81% | 64% | $6,984 |
| Paramedic Technician | 61% | 90% | 73% | $17,060 |
| Fitness and Wellness Specialist | 44% | 74% | 58% | $6,324 |
| Metal Fabrication | 64% | 79% | 56% | $11,431 |
| Optometric Technician | 50% | 58% | 53% | $8,857 |
| Civil Engineering Technology | 44% | 75% | 61% | $10,534 |
| Hospitality Management | 48% | 61% | 42% | $8,871 |
| Electro-Mechanical Technology | 38% | 79% | 47% | $14,561 |
| Project Management | 48% | 81% | 100% | $12,228 |
| Advanced EMT | 84% | 84% | 88% | $10,153 |
| Fashion Marketing | 42% | 73% | 61% | $5,592 |
| IT-Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA) | 19% | 45% | 43% | $8,905 |
| Baking and Decorative Arts | 55% | 67% | 53% | $7,645 |
| Carpentry Techniques | 85% | 70% | 57% | $9,161 |
| Data Analytics Certificate | 44% | 88% | 100% | $9,869 |
| Healthcare Receptionist | 72% | 67% | 59% | $7,702 |
| Medical Billing | 49% | 76% | 42% | $8,627 |
| Electronics | 54% | 80% | 68% | $10,200 |
| Construction Essentials | 87% | 76% | 62% | $9,274 |
| Office Assistant | 81% | 68% | 56% | $8,774 |
| Cabinetmaking and Millwork | 56% | 63% | 50% | $8,919 |
| Human Resources Certificate | 96% | — | — | — |
| Industrial Mechanic- HVAC | 68% | 75% | 72% | $12,746 |
| Air Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Technology (HVAC) | 36% | 81% | 53% | $11,138 |
| Microsoft Office | 84% | 67% | 53% | $10,085 |
| Criminal Justice- Law Enforcement | 27% | 82% | 78% | $9,429 |
| Finance Assistant | 77% | 75% | 32% | $8,456 |
| Auto Collison Repair & Refinish Technician | 59% | 77% | 56% | $8,740 |
| IT-Data and Analytics Specialist | — | 54% | — | $13,797 |
| Culinary Production Specialist | 74% | 75% | 56% | $6,277 |
| Veterinary Assistant | 100% | 85% | — | $4,443 |
| Biotechnology Laboratory Support Assistant | 80% | 67% | 60% | $6,200 |
| Auto Collision Repair & Refinishing Technician | 75% | 73% | 58% | $6,398 |
| Industrial Mechanic - Advanced Manufacturing | 71% | 81% | 41% | $12,728 |
| Machine Tooling Technics | 70% | 81% | 60% | $11,559 |
| Hospitality Assistant | 85% | 59% | 51% | $7,500 |
| Electronics Soldering Assembler | 96% | 95% | 69% | $9,126 |
| Court Reporting | 29% | 43% | 30% | $10,186 |
| Electronic Service Technician | 71% | 93% | 63% | $9,227 |
| Hospitality Specialist | 84% | 56% | 46% | $8,937 |
| Ophthalmic Assistant | 86% | 30% | — | $14,245 |
| Tree Care Technician | 63% | 81% | 24% | $7,473 |
| Office Management | 38% | 72% | 59% | $9,458 |
| Risk Management and Insurance | 27% | 74% | 62% | $10,437 |
| Agricultural Equipment Technology | 92% | 78% | 63% | $14,646 |
| Machine Tool Operations | 87% | 76% | 69% | $8,111 |
| Diesel Medium and Heavy Truck Technician | 100% | — | — | — |
| Business Generalist | 100% | — | — | — |
| Agriculture Equipment Service Technician | 74% | 73% | — | $9,136 |
| Basic Machining | 100% | 38% | — | $5,458 |
| CNC Setup Technician | 100% | 38% | — | $5,458 |
| Industrial Mechanic-Facilities | — | 75% | — | $7,693 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, WIOA participant outcomes (trainingproviderresults.gov), PY 2023.
College-Wide Statistics · IPEDS Federal Survey
What Are the Student Outcomes at Madison Area Technical College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Madison Area Technical College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
42.5%
Working Student Success
48%
Transfer Out Rate
24.4%
Still Enrolled Rate
1.6%
How Madison Area Technical College Compares
Madison Area Technical College's 43% completion rate is right in the typical band for trade and vocational schools — most peer institutions land somewhere in the 30–50% range. Another 24% transfer out and 2% remain enrolled; these together usually account for the bulk of the cohort, with only a smaller share leaving without a clear next step.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Madison Area Technical College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Madison Area Technical College. This shows what happened to students in their cohort by the end of the tracking period.
Understanding These Outcomes
Completed: Students who earned a certificate, diploma, or degree from this institution.
Still Enrolled: Students who remain enrolled at this institution after the tracking period.
Transferred Out: Students who transferred to another institution and may have completed there.
No Award: Students who left without earning a credential and are not enrolled elsewhere.
Combined completion and transfer rate of 54.6% indicates strong student success pathways.
These outcomes track what happened to students eight years after they first enrolled. Completion rates include certificates, diplomas, and degrees earned at this institution. Transfer rates show students who continued their education at other colleges. Understanding these pathways helps prospective students set realistic expectations and plan their educational journey.
What Are the Transfer and Continuation Patterns at Madison Area Technical College?
Success Rates by Student Entry Pathway
Comparing completion rates across different student entry pathways helps understand which groups succeed and how transfer experience impacts outcomes.
Key Insights
Transfer students outperform first-time students by 8.0 percentage points, suggesting the institution provides strong support for transfer pathways and recognizes prior learning effectively.
Combined 30.0% transfer-out rate suggests this institution may serve as a stepping stone for students continuing their education elsewhere.
Cohort Composition
Understanding Student Pathways
First-Time Students: Beginning postsecondary education for the first time at this institution.
Transfer-In Students: Previously attended another postsecondary institution before enrolling here.
Continuing Students: Returned to this institution after a break in enrollment.
Completion rates tracked over 8 years from initial entry.
Different student entry pathways lead to varying success rates. First-time students enter directly from high school or are starting college for the first time. Transfer students bring prior college experience and credits. Understanding these patterns helps you identify which pathway aligns best with your situation and predict your likelihood of success.
What Are the Completion Rates by Student Type at Madison Area Technical College?
What does this mean for you? These completion rates show how different types of students succeed at this institution. Notably, part-time students have a higher success rate here (48% vs 35.2% for full-time), which is great news if you plan to work while studying. This pattern is common at trade colleges where programs are designed to accommodate working adults. First-time students are those new to college, while transfer students have attended another institution before.
What Are the Cohort Outcomes Over Time at Madison Area Technical College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 4,485 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Part-time Non-first-time Students
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
All First-time Transfer Students
All Part-time Students
All Non-first-time Students
Part-time Non-first-time Transfer Students
All Non-first-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Students
Time to Completion
About This Data
Outcome measures data tracks student cohorts over 4, 6, and 8-year periods. Data is sourced from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and reflects the most recent available reporting year.