Do Students Succeed at Western Technical College?
Student success metrics for Western Technical College in La Crosse, WI: graduation, transfer, and retention data.
Student Success at Western Technical College at a Glance
Western Technical College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in La Crosse, WI. Current enrollment is 3,625 students.
- 34.1% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 55.3% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 75% of exiters from its largest program (Nursing) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $10,021 per quarter after exiting Nursing
- 1,408 graduates across 105 programs in 2024
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 233 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 Western 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 | 39% | 75% | 60% | $10,021 |
| Nursing Assistant | 87% | 74% | 61% | $5,096 |
| Business Management | 32% | 69% | 53% | $7,745 |
| Human Services Associate | 45% | 68% | 52% | $5,457 |
| Emergency Medical Technician - Basic | 84% | 75% | 61% | $7,307 |
| Accounting | 48% | 77% | 60% | $8,522 |
| Radiography | 30% | 77% | 56% | $8,077 |
| Criminal Justice | 50% | 78% | 63% | $6,580 |
| Graphic Design | 48% | 62% | 52% | $4,936 |
| Customer Service Representative | 100% | 34% | 10% | $3,763 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | 26% | 74% | 60% | $6,061 |
| IT - Cybersecurity & Network Administration | 52% | 79% | 39% | $9,233 |
| Medical Assistant | 67% | 82% | 65% | $7,616 |
| IT - Web & Software Developer | 38% | 71% | 54% | $6,111 |
| Digital Marketing | 59% | 66% | 47% | $6,845 |
| Surgical Technology | 42% | 80% | 58% | $8,049 |
| Digital Media Production | 36% | 70% | 52% | $4,543 |
| Early Childhood Education | 25% | 72% | 60% | $5,784 |
| Welding & Fabrication | 65% | 70% | 54% | $10,026 |
| Foundations of Teacher Education | 58% | 70% | 56% | $5,712 |
| Respiratory Therapy | 44% | 74% | 51% | $9,478 |
| Plumbing Apprenticeship | 23% | 68% | 64% | $15,029 |
| Human Resource Management | 42% | 75% | 60% | $10,064 |
| Electronic & Computer Engineering Technology | 40% | 66% | 54% | $6,154 |
| Air Cond, Htg & Refrig Technology | 52% | 73% | 60% | $10,161 |
| Leadership Development | 65% | 82% | 63% | $14,542 |
| Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement 720 Academy | 96% | 87% | 67% | $16,494 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 36% | 62% | 54% | $5,552 |
| Automotive Technician | 53% | 74% | 58% | $8,541 |
| Diesel & Heavy Equipment Technician | 83% | 75% | 63% | $12,910 |
| Fire Protection Technician | 58% | 77% | 48% | $8,810 |
| IT - Computer Support Specialist | 41% | 71% | 59% | $8,339 |
| Farm Business & Production Management | — | 36% | 30% | $14,150 |
| Building Construction and Cabinetmaking | 64% | 63% | 53% | $9,424 |
| Business Specialist (WTCS: Business Operations) | 67% | 75% | 69% | $7,329 |
| Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - Paramedic | 82% | 71% | 54% | $13,299 |
| Health Information Technology | 47% | 75% | 56% | $9,910 |
| Legal Studies/Paralegal | 39% | 57% | 57% | $7,007 |
| Paramedic Technician | 50% | 73% | 63% | $9,959 |
| Automotive Maintenance & Light Repair Tech - Lev 1 | 96% | 73% | 55% | $5,193 |
| Dental Assistant | 58% | 85% | 64% | $8,071 |
| Architectural Technology | 58% | 82% | 58% | $9,226 |
| Refrigeration, Air Conditioning & Heating | 60% | 77% | 61% | $10,367 |
| Electromechanical Technology | 61% | 79% | 56% | $13,918 |
| Sales Management | 56% | 84% | 55% | $8,862 |
| Medical Lab Technician | 50% | 83% | 64% | $9,613 |
| Automotive Service Technician - Level 2 | 94% | 73% | 54% | $4,949 |
| Electrician - Construction Apprenticeship | 80% | 96% | 87% | $16,766 |
| Interior Design | 40% | 62% | 27% | $6,458 |
| Agri-Business/Science Technology | 56% | 59% | 51% | $8,163 |
| Medical Coding Specialist | 22% | 65% | 52% | $7,353 |
| Healthcare Technology Management (BioMed Electr.) | 70% | 61% | 44% | $10,217 |
| IT - Computer Support Technician | 40% | 73% | 59% | $7,110 |
| Mechanical Design Technology | 53% | 67% | 57% | $10,127 |
| Accounting Assistant | 55% | 63% | 54% | $8,855 |
| Landscape Horticulture Technician | 54% | 60% | 40% | $4,278 |
| IT - Network Technician | 45% | 85% | 66% | $7,429 |
| Business Analyst | 55% | 70% | 55% | $12,537 |
| Hospitality Management | 39% | 62% | 56% | $7,107 |
| Health Office Professional | 59% | 81% | 56% | $7,010 |
| Electrician Apprenticeship | 67% | 85% | 57% | $17,095 |
| Mechatronic & Robotic Engineering Technology | 67% | 84% | 52% | $13,038 |
| Precision Machining & Programming | 36% | 71% | 57% | $10,799 |
| Building Science & Energy Management | 55% | 68% | 50% | $7,959 |
| Digital Marketing Specialist (Digital Marketing) | 61% | 66% | 48% | $5,964 |
| Basic Welding | 87% | 63% | 53% | $7,138 |
| Administrative Professional | 48% | 71% | 58% | $9,041 |
| Sales Fundamentals | 100% | 33% | 16% | $6,154 |
| Educational Assistant | 62% | 79% | 60% | $4,676 |
| Diesel & Heavy Equipment Technician Assistant | 90% | 80% | 78% | $6,745 |
| Advanced EMT | 76% | 89% | 77% | $9,208 |
| Leadership & Supervision Professional | 24% | 92% | 76% | $14,578 |
| Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship | 56% | 83% | 90% | $17,293 |
| Industrial Electrician Apprenticeship | 83% | 85% | 53% | — |
| Early Childhood Professional | 73% | 73% | 59% | $3,505 |
| Electromechanical Maintenance Technician | 64% | 67% | 69% | $4,297 |
| Healthcare Electronics Technician | 52% | 71% | 62% | $3,311 |
| Office Support Specialist | 44% | 62% | 53% | $5,230 |
| CAD (Computer Aided Design) Technician | 64% | 67% | 59% | $5,260 |
| Steamfitting Apprenticeship | 67% | 85% | 57% | $21,593 |
| Foundations of Leadership | 57% | 86% | 75% | $13,305 |
| Maintenance Mechanic/Millwright Apprenticeship | — | 100% | 93% | $20,462 |
| Business Requirements Specialist | 85% | 76% | 61% | $9,989 |
| CNC Operator | 100% | 32% | 45% | $6,467 |
| Tool & Die Apprenticeship | — | — | 71% | $12,504 |
| Industrial Machine Controls | 56% | 74% | 83% | $4,367 |
| Solar Installation Technician | 100% | 69% | 57% | $4,890 |
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 Western Technical College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Western Technical College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
55.3%
Working Student Success
60.2%
Transfer Out Rate
19.1%
Still Enrolled Rate
0.9%
How Western Technical College Compares
A 55% completion rate is genuinely strong for a trade college. 1% of students are still enrolled, which means most who start at Western Technical College either finish or are still actively progressing — a pattern that suggests programs are appropriately scoped and supported.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Western Technical College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Western 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 60.4% 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 Western 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 14.0 percentage points, suggesting the institution provides strong support for transfer pathways and recognizes prior learning effectively.
Combined 22.0% 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 Western 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 (60.2% vs 50% 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 Western Technical College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 1,444 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Full-time Non-first-time Transfer Students
All Non-first-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
Part-time Non-first-time Transfer Students
Part-time Non-first-time Students
All First-time Transfer Students
All Part-time Students
All Non-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.