UW-Milwaukee is among the most accommodating universities in the country for military, veterans and family, according to a recently released ranking for 2026-27.
The university earned gold military-friendly status for its efforts to serve and welcome students who are veterans or currently serving in the military. UWM was also recognized for being exceptionally welcoming and supportive of military spouses.
Military Friendly measures an organization’s commitment, effort and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefits for the military community. Over 2,900 organizations compete annually for the Military Friendly designation.
UWM educates more veterans and military-related students than any other Wisconsin university, with more than 1,240 enrolled in Fall 2025.
The university provides a wide range of resources for its military students, including the Military and Veterans Resources Center, a military education benefits office, the Veterans Success on Campus program, Veterans Upward Bound and Army ROTC. MAVRC also works to provide services to families of veterans and active service members who are students.
“Earning the Military Friendly designation is more than a badge of honor; it is a reflection of an institution’s deep-rooted values and strategic commitment to those who served,” said Kayla Lopez, vice president of memberships for Military Friendly. “These schools don’t just open doors for veterans and military spouses, they build sustainable pathways for academic success and long-term impact.”
The military friendly ratings were determined by combining an organization’s survey score, public data and an assessment of the institution’s ability to meet and exceed thresholds for student recruitment, retention, academic progress, graduation rates, career placement and support services for veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses.
