Employers give high marks to WI technical college graduates

September 14, 2026

WISCONSIN – Wisconsin employers continue to report strong satisfaction with graduates of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS), according to the 2026 WTCS Employer Satisfaction Report.

Statewide, 97% of employers surveyed said they were satisfied with technical college graduates’ education, while 96% said they would hire a WTCS graduate again.

Another 92% reported that they would recommend a technical college graduate to another employer, and 97% said their local technical college is important to their business’s overall success.

Per the release, the findings align with the 2025 WTCS Graduate Outcomes Report, which found 92% of graduates in the labor force were employed within six months of graduation, and 81% were working in careers related to their training.

Associate degree graduates reported a median annual salary of more than $60,000 within six months.

WTCS graduates also largely remain in Wisconsin, with 93% staying in the state after graduation and entering fields including health care, manufacturing, information technology and skilled trades.

“Employers consistently tell us that WTCS graduates arrive prepared to contribute immediately,” WTCS President Layla Merrifield said. “When businesses say they would hire our graduates again and recommend them to others, it validates the quality of education delivered by Wisconsin’s 16 technical colleges and the strong partnerships we maintain with industry across the state.”

Merrifield said the employer satisfaction survey is conducted every four years and measures employer perceptions of WTCS graduates’ skills, education and workforce preparedness.