| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year technical college; campus-based, with some programs online or hybrid |
| Campuses | 7, all in Wisconsin: Truax (main), Commercial Avenue and Goodman South in Madison, plus Fort Atkinson, Portage, Reedsburg and Watertown |
| Credentials | Associate degrees (AAS; AA/AS for university transfer), technical diplomas, certificates and apprenticeship instruction |
| Programs | 189 on the college’s financial-aid program list; the college says “over 190” |
| Typical length | Certificates from 5 weeks to a year; diplomas from one semester to two years; associate degrees two years |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission; reaffirmed August 2026 with embedded monitoring on assessment (not a sanction) |
| Federal aid | Yes, school code 004007, but 77 of the 189 programs are not aid-eligible |
| 2026-27 tuition | $157.45 per credit for Wisconsin residents in career programs; $236.18 for non-residents |
| Students | 12,038 in credit courses in spring 2026; more than 28,700 across the 2025-26 year |
| Founded | 1912, as the Madison Continuation School; public district college in the Wisconsin Technical College System |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
A public technical college with seven Wisconsin campuses
Madison Area Technical College has used the name Madison College since 2010, to reduce confusion with Milwaukee Area Technical College. It was founded in 1912 as the Madison Continuation School and renamed Madison Vocational School in 1921. Today it is one of the 16 colleges of the Wisconsin Technical College System, run by its own district board. The state system approves programs and sets tuition, so the per-credit rate is the same at every Wisconsin technical college.
Most programs are taught at the Truax Campus in Madison. The other six campuses each teach a shorter list, such as nursing, welding, apprenticeships or human services. Enrollment is rising: fall 2025 was up 6% on the year before and spring 2026 up 4%, with health-care and skilled-trades programs up 30% or more. The college also teaches at 10 Wisconsin correctional facilities, which are not open to the public.
What Madison College teaches, and where
The college lists 189 programs on its financial-aid program list, from five-week certificates to two-year associate degrees and eight university-transfer tracks. The table shows the main career programs; cost estimates are the college’s own whole-program figures (October 2026), which include fees and materials.
| Program | Credential | Length | Delivery | Where | Prepares for | College’s cost estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree Nursing (RN) | AAS, 65 credits | 2 years, full- or part-time | – | Truax, Reedsburg, Watertown | NCLEX-RN | – |
| Practical Nursing (LPN) | Diploma, 33 credits | 1.5 years | – | Fort Atkinson, Goodman South | NCLEX-PN | – |
| Nursing Assistant | Certificate | – | – | All 7 campuses | Wisconsin DHS-approved training | – |
| Dental Hygienist | AAS, 70 credits | 2 years | Some online | Truax | NBDHE, CRDTS, Wisconsin board exam | $16,381.38 |
| Dental Assistant | Diploma, 16 credits | 1 semester | Some online | Truax | – | $3,569.92 |
| Medical Assistant | Diploma, 28 credits | 1 year | Some online | Truax | National certification exam | $5,756.52 |
| Surgical Technology | AAS, 61 credits | 2 years | Some online | Truax | CST exam | – |
| Radiography | AAS, 66 credits | 2 years | In person | Truax (not accepting applications) | ARRT exam | – |
| Respiratory Therapy | AAS, 63 credits | 2 years, full-time | In person | Truax | NBRC (RRT) | – |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | AAS, 64 credits | 2 years | Some online | Truax | ASCP BOC MLT exam | – |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | AAS, 67 credits | 2 years | Hybrid | Truax | NBCOT (COTA) | – |
| Veterinary Technician | AAS, 65 credits | 2 years | On campus or semi-remote Satellite track | Truax | VTNE | – |
| Optometric Technician | Diploma, 27 credits | 2 semesters | Some online; separate online version | Truax | National certification exam | $5,085.24 |
| Paramedic / Paramedic Technician | Diploma / AAS | – | – | Truax, Reedsburg | – | – |
| EMT / Advanced EMT | Certificate / diploma | – | – | Truax, Reedsburg, Watertown | – | – |
| Welding | Diploma, 30 credits | 1 year | In person | Truax, Portage, Fort Atkinson | Work to AWS codes | – |
| Metal Fabrication | Diploma, 31 credits | 1 year | In person | Truax, Fort Atkinson | – | – |
| HVAC (Air Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Technology) | AAS, 65 credits | About 2 years, with a summer internship | Hybrid | Truax | EPA 608 (included) | – |
| Electricity | Diploma, 27 credits | 1 year | In person | Truax, Commercial Avenue | – | – |
| Construction and Remodeling | Diploma, 32 credits | 1 year | In person, some night courses | Truax; Commercial Avenue is its base | – | – |
| Machine Tooling Technics | Diploma, 66 credits | 2 years | In person | Truax | – | – |
| Renewable Energy | Certificate, 9 credits | Up to 1 year | Some online | Commercial Avenue, Truax | – | – |
| Tree Care Technician | Diploma, 30 credits | 1 year | Some online | Truax | Eligibility for ISA, pesticide and tree-climber certifications | – |
| Fire Protection Technician | AAS, 58 credits | 2 years | In person and hybrid | Truax | Firefighter I and II | $11,280.06 |
| Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement 720 Academy | Diploma, 21 credits | 18 weeks, full-time | In person | Truax | Wisconsin DOJ law-enforcement certification | – |
| Jail Officer | Certificate, 6 credits | 5 weeks (200 hours) | In person | Truax | Wisconsin jail-officer certification | $1,151.22 |
| IT-Cybersecurity Specialist | AAS, 61 credits | 2 years | Some online | Truax | – | – |
| IT-Web Software Developer | AAS, 64 credits | 2 years | 100% online or some online | Truax and online | – | – |
| Graphic Design | AAS, 65 credits | 2 years | Some online | Truax | – | $12,628.55 |
| Interior Design | AAS, 65 credits | 2 years | Some online | Truax | – | – |
| Real Estate Sales | Certificate, 14 credits | Up to 1 year | 100% online | Online (run from Truax) | Wisconsin salesperson exam | – |
| Cosmetology | Diploma, 40 credits | 1 year | Some online | Truax | Wisconsin cosmetology license | – |
| Barber | Diploma, 26 credits | 1 year | Some online | Truax | Wisconsin barber exam | – |
| Culinary Arts | AAS, 61 credits | 2 years | In person | Truax | – | – |
| Fitness and Wellness Specialist | Diploma, 24 credits | 1 year | Some online | Truax | ACE certification, Precision Nutrition Level 1 | – |
| Facilities Management | Certificate, 9 credits | 1 semester | In person and hybrid | Truax | – | $1,777.83 |
Many programs carry their own accreditation: ACEN for both nursing programs, CODA for dental hygiene, JRCERT for radiography, CAAHEP for medical assisting, surgical technology and paramedic, AVMA for veterinary technology (since 1974), the American Bar Association for Legal Studies/Paralegal, the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation for culinary arts and baking, and ASE or AED for automotive and diesel. The college is a FANUC CERT training center for its electro-mechanical and robotics programs.
Apprenticeship classes in plumbing, electrical construction, masonry, machining and other trades are run from Commercial Avenue and are open only to apprentices with an employer sponsor. The college does not teach truck driving (CDL), mortuary science, pharmacy technician, massage therapy or physical therapist assistant programs.
What the main programs cover
Welding
The one-year diploma is taught fully in person, and projects follow American Welding Society codes and procedures. Courses run from Interpreting Engineering Drawings, Oxy Fuel Welding and Thermal Cutting and Arc Welding Theory through Basic Arc (SMAW), SMAW Vertical, GTAW 1 and 2, Basic GMAW, and FCAW and Advanced GMAW, with Fabrication 1 and 2, Math for Metal Fabrication, Safety for Industry, Fundamentals of Metallurgy and Advanced Welding Techniques. Students who finish Metal Fabrication first can add the welding credential with nine more credits.
Air conditioning, heating and refrigeration (HVAC)
The associate degree runs over five semesters, including a summer internship, in a hybrid format at Truax. EPA 608 refrigerant training and certification are built into the program. Coursework goes beyond installation and repair into CAD and REVIT drawing and building automation systems. Students receive the required tool kit in the second year, and its cost is covered by course fees. The college’s list shows recognition of the program by DOE, NATE, IREC and ASOPE as well as EPA 608.
Surgical technology
Classes meet Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 4 in the Truax health building on Hoffman Street, with some coursework online. Four clinical courses, Clinical 1 to 4, add up to 12 credits spent in operating rooms, and the program prepares students for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam. As with other health programs, students need a background check, immunizations and Healthcare Provider CPR before their first clinical placement.
Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement 720 Academy
The academy is 18 weeks of full-time training, Monday to Friday from 8 to 5 plus some evenings, in the Protective Services Building at Truax. It meets the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s training requirements for law-enforcement certification, and the DOJ requires 100% attendance. Applicants need at least 40 associate-degree-level college credits, must be 18 or older and US citizens with a clean driving record and no felony charges, and must pass a physical readiness test.
Fire Protection Technician
The two-year degree combines Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Operations and EMT coursework with fire-protection classes, taught in person and in hybrid format at Truax. Students may take the firefighter and EMT pieces at Madison College or bring them from any IFSAC or Pro-Board accredited program. Fifty students start each fall. A technical diploma and a certificate sit on the same ladder as shorter options.
IT-Web Software Developer
This two-year degree can be taken fully online or as a mix of online and in-person classes. It covers HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Java, PHP and C#, databases and cloud services, and ends with an internship in the final semester. Shorter certificates in Introduction to Software Development, Java Professional Developer and Software Quality Fundamentals are taught on campus at Truax for students who want a narrower credential.
Tuition, fees and how students pay
Tuition is set each year by the WTCS Board for all 16 Wisconsin technical colleges. The 2026-27 rates, approved on 18 March 2026, apply from summer 2026 and are 3.0% higher than 2025-26.
| 2026-27, per credit | Wisconsin resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Career programs (associate degree, diploma, certificate, apprenticeship) | $157.45 | $236.18 |
| University transfer (AA/AS) | $196.05 | $294.08 |
On top of tuition, students pay per credit a $15.89 supplemental fee (for Madison or online classes), $7 textbook rental and an academic achievement fee of $1.53 to $1.92 depending on program type. A full-time year of 30 credits at the resident career rate comes to $4,723.50 in tuition alone. Niche, using federal data, puts the average net price at about $13,284 a year. The college’s net price calculator gives a personal estimate. Payment is due by 30 September for fall, 15 February for spring and 30 June for summer.
Madison College takes federal student aid (school code 004007), but not for every program. Of its 189 programs, 107 are fully aid-eligible, 5 are partly eligible (Practical Nursing, Electricity, Baking & Decorative Arts, Artisanal Modern Meat Butchery and Electro-Mechanical & Engineering Foundations) and 77 are not eligible at all. The ineligible ones are mostly short certificates and apprenticeships, including Nursing Assistant, EMT, Jail Officer, Facilities Management, Renewable Energy, Real Estate Sales, Data Analytics and Healthcare Management.
- Scholars of Promise: for graduating high-school seniors in the college district (or at an online school with a district home address) who are Pell-eligible, have a 2.25 GPA after junior year and enroll in an aid-eligible program. It covers tuition and fees not met by grants and scholarships for up to six consecutive semesters, averaging $3,279 per student, and adds a success coach through the RISE program and a UW–Madison transfer guarantee. Applications reopen on 15 October 2026.
- Wisconsin Grant – Technical College: the state’s need-based grant, administered by the Higher Educational Aids Board, with a 2025-26 maximum of $1,752 for a full-time technical college student (WTCS figures).
- Veterans: the college accepts the GI Bill, HEROES Act assistance and the Wisconsin GI Bill, a state tuition remission. It describes itself as “Top 10 Military Friendly” for veterans and military spouses. Veteran Services is in the Truax Main Building.
Admission is open, but many programs are capped
The college is open-admission: applicants choose a program, apply online, send a high-school transcript or equivalent and activate a student account, and the file takes 2 to 3 weeks to process. Placement scores such as ACCUPLACER or ACT do not affect admission but can be needed before specific courses. Apprenticeships, non-degree students taking single classes and international students use separate processes.
Many career programs have limits of their own. Associate Degree Nursing asks for 30 college credits at a 2.0 GPA or an equivalent high-school record, math and chemistry prerequisites and a HESI score of 75% or ACT of 22. Dental Hygiene takes 44 students a fall with an estimated two-year wait, Respiratory Therapy 30 seats with a wait of up to a year, Fire Protection 50, Barber 22 with a waiting list and Optometric Technician 16. Radiography is not accepting applications. Health programs generally require a background check, immunizations and Healthcare Provider CPR before clinicals.
Most health programs run as fixed full-time daytime blocks, for example Monday to Friday 7 to 5 for Medical Laboratory Technician and 8:30 to 5 for Medical Assistant. Construction and Remodeling has some night courses. Program pages label delivery as “100% In Person”, “Some Online/Some In Person” or “100% Online”.
Accreditation and results
Madison College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission under its Open Pathway. On 4 August 2026, after a comprehensive evaluation, HLC reaffirmed its accreditation, with the next reaffirmation due in 2035-36. The action came with a stipulation of embedded monitoring on assessment, a follow-up scheduled for 2029-30. This is not a sanction; the college is not on probation, notice or a show-cause order. The college’s own accreditation page still describes its 2016 status. Dental Assistant has no programmatic accreditation, and Interior Design is not CIDA-accredited.
The college’s own data page gives two completion measures for full-time students who started in fall 2021: 47.4% graduated within three years, and the transfer-out rate was 30.4%. The federal graduation rate, which Niche shows as 29%, is a different measure: it counts students who finish within 150% of normal program time, for a different entering cohort, so the two figures should not be compared directly. Program-level results the college publishes:
| Program | Published result | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree Nursing (RN) | NCLEX-RN composite pass rate 90.74% (national 86.38%) | 2025-26 |
| Practical Nursing (LPN) | NCLEX-PN composite pass rate 92.68% (national 86.6%) | 2025 |
| Veterinary Technician | VTNE first-time pass rate 83% (national 67.9%) | Jan 2023 – Dec 2025 |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | ASCP MLT pass rate 100%; graduate employment 100% | 2023, 2024 and 2025 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | Program graduation rate 91.5% (80%, 94%, 100%) | 2023-25 |
| Respiratory Therapy | 94.4% of available graduates employed; average $30.51 an hour full-time | 2025 |
| Surgical Technology | 100% of graduates employed, 77.8% in related jobs | 2025 |
The college does not publish pass rates on the program pages for radiography (ARRT), medical assisting, paramedic, optometric technician, barbering or cosmetology. Dental hygiene reports an “exceptionally high” CRDTS pass rate without a figure.
Before you enroll
- Check aid eligibility for your exact program. 77 programs, including Nursing Assistant, EMT, every apprenticeship and Real Estate Sales, cannot be paid for with federal aid, and Practical Nursing is only partly eligible.
- Open admission does not mean an open seat. Radiography is closed to applications, Dental Hygiene has about a two-year wait and Barber a waiting list, and the RN program needs prerequisites and a HESI or ACT score.
- Most programs are taught only at Truax. A regional campus may offer only the prerequisites or general-education courses for a program, so check where its core classes meet before choosing a campus.
- Apprenticeships such as plumbing and masonry need an employer to sponsor you first; you cannot sign up for them on your own.
- The college’s results are mixed: nursing pass rates are above national averages, but only 47.4% of full-time students finish within three years, and the federal rate is lower still.
Seven campuses: what each teaches
| Campus | Address | Programs taught there (main ones) |
|---|---|---|
| Truax (main) | 1701 Wright Street, Madison | Most programs, including all health-science degrees, business, IT, transportation, HVAC, welding, culinary, cosmetology and public safety |
| Commercial Avenue | 2125 Commercial Ave., Madison | Apprenticeship instruction, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Construction and Remodeling, Center for Entrepreneurship |
| Goodman South | 2429 Perry St, Madison | Practical Nursing, Nursing Assistant, Addiction Studies, Human Services, Early Childhood Education (English and Spanish) |
| Fort Atkinson | 827 Banker Road, Fort Atkinson | Practical Nursing, Welding, Metal Fabrication, Nursing Assistant |
| Portage | 330 W Collins St., Portage | Welding, GMAW and Basic Machining certificates, Nursing Assistant |
| Reedsburg | 300 Alexander Ave., Reedsburg | Associate Degree Nursing, EMT, Paramedic, Nursing Assistant |
| Watertown | 1300 W. Main St., Watertown | Associate Degree Nursing, EMT, Nursing Assistant, Phlebotomist |
Admissions, financial aid and veteran services are at Truax. There is no separate admissions office elsewhere, and the 10 prison-education sites are not open to the public.
Getting to class, child care and other help
Madison College has no college-owned housing; Niche describes it as a commuter college. Degree-credit students get free Madison Metro bus passes, and a shuttle runs between Goodman South and Truax. Goodman South has on-site child care at its Early Learning Campus and free parking. Free food pantries operate at Goodman South, Portage, Reedsburg and Watertown, and Goodman South and Reedsburg lend laptops and WiFi hotspots. ESL and GED/HSED classes run at Goodman South and the four regional campuses, with Spanish GED/HSED at Goodman South, and Fort Atkinson hosts the Jefferson County Financial Empowerment Center. Internships or placements are built into several programs, including HVAC, IT-Cybersecurity, IT-Web Software Developer, Medical Assistant and Barber.
What students say
On Niche, Madison College is rated 3.82 out of 5 from 764 reviews, with an overall grade of B (checked October 2026). Reviewers most often praise its low cost and value, small classes with instructors they can reach, and career-focused training that also works as a cheaper first step toward a four-year degree. The most common complaints are thin student life on a commuter campus with no dorms, poor communication with academic advisors, and the low graduation rate. The reviews cover the whole college rather than one campus or program, and we could not see when they were posted, so we cannot say whether they cluster in time. No other platform we checked has 25 or more reviews.
Sources
Checked October 2026: Madison College campuses · HLC accreditation status · Aid-eligible programs · Tuition and fees · Institutional data · Accredited programs list (March 2026) · Scholars of Promise · Niche
Programs & Courses
Nursing
- Associate Degree Nursing (RN)
- Nursing Completion: LPN to ADN
- Nursing Completion: Paramedic to ADN
- Practical Nursing (LPN)
- Nursing Assistant
Health Sciences
- Dental Assistant
- Dental Hygienist
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Laboratory Technician
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Optometric Technician (on campus or online)
- Ophthalmic Assistant
- Phlebotomist/Specimen Processor
- Radiography (not accepting applications)
- Respiratory Therapy
- Surgical Technology
- Veterinary Technician
- Medical Administrative Specialist
- Medical Billing
- Medical Coding Specialist
- Healthcare Receptionist
- Healthcare Management
Emergency Services and Public Safety
- Emergency Medical Technician
- Advanced EMT
- Paramedic
- Paramedic Technician
- Fire Protection Technician
- Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement 720 Academy
- Criminal Justice Studies
- Jail Officer
Transportation and Equipment
- Automotive Technician
- Automotive Technology-Comprehensive
- Auto Collision Repair & Refinishing Technician
- Diesel Medium and Heavy Truck Technician / Technology
- Diesel Heavy Equipment Technician / Technology
- Agricultural Equipment Technology
Construction, Electrical and HVAC
- Construction and Remodeling
- Carpentry Techniques
- Construction Essentials
- Cabinetmaking and Millwork
- Electricity
- Electrical Engineering Technology
- Electrical Maintenance
- Air Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Technology (HVAC)
- Industrial Mechanic – HVAC
- Facilities Management (certificate)
- Renewable Energy (9-credit certificate)
Manufacturing, Welding and Engineering Technology
- Welding
- Metal Fabrication
- Welding Fundamentals
- Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
- Machine Tooling Technics
- Machine Tool Operation
- CNC Setup Technician
- Basic Machining
- Industrial Mechanic – Advanced Manufacturing
- Electro-Mechanical Technology
- Industrial Automation certificates
- Architectural Technology
- Civil Engineering Technology
- Mechanical Design Technology
Apprenticeships (employer sponsor required)
- Electrical Construction
- Industrial Electrician
- Plumbing
- Bricklaying/Masonry
- Machinist
- Tool & Die
- Mechatronics Technician
- Maintenance Mechanic/Millwright
- Maintenance Technician
- Arborist
- Barbering
- Cosmetology
Business
- Accounting
- Accounting Assistant
- Business Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- Finance Assistant
- Human Resource Management
- Marketing
- Digital Marketing
- Supply Chain Management
- Project Management
- Administrative Professional
- Office Assistant
- Real Estate Sales (online)
- Legal Studies/Paralegal
Information Technology
- IT-Cybersecurity Specialist
- IT-Network Systems Administration
- IT-Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA)
- IT-Desktop Support Technician
- IT-Cloud DevOps Specialist
- IT-Web Software Developer (on campus or online)
- Data Analytics
- Artificial Intelligence Data Specialist
Design, Media and Arts
- Graphic Design
- Web & Interactive Design
- UX/UI Design
- Interior Design
- 3D Art and Animation
- Photography
- Video Production
- Audio Production
Culinary, Hospitality and Personal Services
- Culinary Arts
- Baking & Decorative Arts
- Artisanal Modern Meat Butchery
- Hospitality Management
- Cosmetology
- Barber
- Fitness and Wellness Specialist
Education and Human Services
- Early Childhood Education (English and Spanish)
- Child Care Services
- Addiction Studies
- Human Services Associate
Tree Care
- Tree Care Technician
University Transfer
- Associate of Arts / Associate of Science, eight tracks including Engineering, Pre-BSN Nursing and Education
Campus Locations
Madison, WI (Truax Campus) 1701 Wright Street, Madison, WI 53704
Madison, WI (Commercial Avenue Campus) 2125 Commercial Ave., Madison, WI 53704
Madison, WI (Goodman South Campus) 2429 Perry St, Madison, WI 53713
Fort Atkinson, WI 827 Banker Road, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
Portage, WI 330 W Collins St., Portage, WI 53901
Reedsburg, WI 300 Alexander Ave., Reedsburg, WI 53959
Watertown, WI 1300 W. Main St., Watertown, WI 53098