The state of Wisconsin can be considered a hub of higher education in the Midwest, with more than 85 different colleges and universities operating within the borders of the state. In addition to a variety of public colleges and private universities, there are professional schools in the state of Wisconsin as well. There are two medical schools and two law schools in the state, as well as a seminary and an oriental medicine school. There is also a tribal college in the state of Wisconsin, which services the American Indian population.
The largest university in Wisconsin is also the flagship of its largest public university system. The University of Wisconsin - Madison is perhaps the most well known institution of higher education in the state of Wisconsin. It has an enrollment of more than 40,000 students, and is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System, which is made up of 26 different campuses. In addition to being the largest campus in the state, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is also the oldest university in Wisconsin. It was established in 1848, which is the same year that the state of Wisconsin was admitted into the union. The school boasts four National Historic Landmarks on its Madison campus. The University of Wisconsin is considered a Public Ivy school, and some of its most well known academic programs include its engineer program, business school, law programs, education programs and public affairs degrees. The University of Wisconsin is tied with both Harvard and Princeton for the number of alumni who are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. In addition to the prominent business people who graduated from the university, four astronauts, dozens of journalists and a multitude of politicians are alumni. Former Vice President Dick Cheney is one of the most famous alumni of the school.
In addition to being home to a large public university system and research institution, Wisconsin also has a large private university within its borders. Marquette University, a private Jesuit university based out of Milwaukee, is the largest private college in the state. The school was founded in 1881, and has become known for many of its outstanding academic programs. Some of its notable programs include supply chain management, finance, nursing-midwifery, physical therapy and legal writing. Notable alumni of Marquette University include late comedian Chris Farley and Academy Award winner Don Ameche, who graduated in 1929.