Executive Summary:
On March 5, 2026, the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents Education Committee unanimously approved a policy allowing UW institutions to offer 90-credit bachelor’s degree programs—completing a bachelor’s degree in three years instead of the traditional four. This report examines the economic case for this policy. Key findings include:
- A bachelor’s degree is both an investment good and a consumption good. Economists estimate the annual consumption value of college—amenities, leisure, the campus experience—at $11,600 to $15,100. Students who view college primarily as an investment should have the option to graduate in three years without paying for consumption they do not value.
- Three-year degrees can save Wisconsin families $18,000 to $29,000 in direct costs (one year of tuition, room, and board) plus an additional year of post-graduation earnings. These savings will reduce pressure on General Purpose Revenue (GPR) and state need-based aid while moving graduates into the workforce—and onto the tax rolls—sooner.
- Enrollment at UW institutions outside of UW-Madison fell 22% between 2012 and 2023, while the Wisconsin Technical College System rebounded to 293,904 students by 2024–25. Three-year applied bachelor’s degrees can help UW comprehensive universities compete more effectively for students and funding.
- A growing wave of states—including Indiana, Utah, Maine, Massachusetts, North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island—have adopted or are piloting three-year degree programs. Over 70 institutions have joined the College-in-3 Exchange, and every U.S. accreditor now permits sub-120-credit degrees.
- Many Wisconsin students already arrive with substantial credits: 78,703 high school students participated in dual enrollment in 2023–24, and 25.2% of the Class of 2024 scored 3+ on an AP exam. At UW-Madison, average time-to-degree has fallen to 3.78 years.