Do Students Succeed at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College?
How do students at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore, WI fare? Explore completion rates, transfers, and key outcomes.
Student Success at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College at a Glance
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Fennimore, WI. Current enrollment is 2,849 students.
- 66.4% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 69.7% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 75% of exiters from its largest program (Nursing Assistant) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $3,136 per quarter after exiting Nursing Assistant
- 686 graduates across 85 programs in 2024
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 45 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 Southwest Wisconsin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing Assistant | 90% | 75% | 62% | $3,136 |
| Nursing | 66% | 86% | 62% | $13,973 |
| Business Management | 52% | 75% | 57% | $8,287 |
| Direct Entry Midwife | 35% | 14% | 9% | $6,568 |
| Cancer Information Management (CIM) (Online) | 59% | 22% | 21% | $12,183 |
| Electrical Power Distribution | 92% | 71% | 51% | $13,315 |
| Welding | 85% | 70% | 46% | $10,381 |
| Accounting | 49% | 72% | 49% | $7,811 |
| Early Childhood Education | 67% | 70% | 53% | $6,373 |
| Health Infomation Technology (HIT) | 53% | 61% | 46% | $9,709 |
| Cosmetology | 71% | 66% | 42% | $4,645 |
| Agricultural Power & Equipment Technician | 83% | 68% | 60% | $11,915 |
| Human Services Associate | 57% | 77% | 60% | $6,440 |
| Supply Chain Management | 53% | 33% | 26% | $11,312 |
| Agribusiness Science & Technology - Animal Science | 64% | 84% | 51% | $7,053 |
| Automotive Technician | 47% | 76% | 64% | $9,270 |
| Electro-Mechanical Technology | 74% | 77% | 67% | $14,212 |
| Graphic & Web Design | 75% | 64% | 46% | $6,427 |
| Criminal Justice Studies | 42% | 82% | 75% | $5,818 |
| Driver Safety Education Certification | 79% | 90% | 74% | $15,844 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | 53% | 67% | 55% | $4,227 |
| Network Specialist | 39% | 68% | 57% | $8,452 |
| Tax Preparer Assistant | 100% | 68% | 56% | $5,866 |
| Construction Electrician Apprenticeship | 45% | 96% | 79% | $13,845 |
| Dental Assistant | 81% | 80% | 63% | $7,810 |
| Building Trades—Carpentry | 85% | 68% | 54% | $9,646 |
| Plumbing Apprenticeship | 36% | 93% | 71% | $15,198 |
| Payroll Assistant | 100% | 70% | 55% | $6,637 |
| Agribusiness Science & Technology - Agronomy | 69% | 83% | 59% | $12,705 |
| Agribusiness Science & Technology-Agribus Mgmt | 76% | 69% | 44% | $9,060 |
| Accounting Assistant | 63% | 75% | 52% | $5,136 |
| Computer Support Technician | 64% | 64% | 60% | $6,389 |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | 79% | 83% | 64% | $11,512 |
| Golf Course Management | 77% | 47% | 54% | $3,780 |
| Auto Collision Repair & Refinish Techinician | 79% | 79% | 57% | $9,180 |
| Leadership Development | 71% | 74% | 59% | $15,593 |
| Production Planner | 100% | 30% | 25% | $11,484 |
| Child Care Services | 44% | 75% | 60% | $4,467 |
| Purchasing Agent/Buyer | 100% | 28% | 21% | $11,484 |
| Nonprofit Leadership | 38% | 67% | — | $15,200 |
| Logistics | 100% | 28% | 19% | $11,860 |
| Industrial Electrician Apprenticeship | 67% | 100% | 80% | $15,408 |
| Farm Operations & Management-Reproduction Tech | 100% | 68% | 49% | $5,558 |
| Supply Chain Assistant | 69% | 44% | 30% | $14,425 |
| CNC Machine Operator/Programmer | 78% | 80% | 42% | $8,842 |
| Data Analytics | — | 86% | 43% | $11,573 |
| Nail Technician | 80% | 79% | 36% | $5,306 |
| Agribusiness Science & Technology-Applicator Tech | 100% | 64% | 57% | $3,107 |
| Industrial Mechanic | 55% | 88% | 71% | $11,289 |
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 Southwest Wisconsin Technical College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
69.7%
Working Student Success
73.2%
Transfer Out Rate
8.5%
Still Enrolled Rate
1.7%
How Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Compares
70% of students complete their programs at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College — a strong outcome by trade-college standards, where 30–50% completion is more typical. Another 8% transfer to continue elsewhere, and 2% are still enrolled. High completion usually signals well-aligned program lengths, solid student support, and clear pathways from start to credential.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Southwest Wisconsin 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 58.2% 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 Southwest Wisconsin 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 11.0 percentage points, suggesting the institution provides strong support for transfer pathways and recognizes prior learning effectively.
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 Southwest Wisconsin 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 (73.2% vs 64.8% 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 Southwest Wisconsin Technical College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 747 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 Non-first-time Students
All First-time Transfer Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
All Part-time Students
Part-time First-time Students
All Full-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.