鲍奥-厂迟辞耻迟 黑料社区.&苍产蝉辫;B.S. packaging program has been recognized by three national ranking authorities in their annual listings:
- : No. 3 for 2026
- : No. 9 for 2026
- : No. 5 for 2025
鈥淲e are honored to be recognized as one of the top packaging programs in the nation,鈥 said Associate Professor Min DeGruson, program director. 鈥満诹仙缜 黑料社区. distinction comes from our polytechnic approach of hands-on, applied learning, our deep and long-standing industry partnerships and our strong career focus.鈥
DeGruson said students with an interest in design, engineering, problem-solving and sustainability can find wonderful careers in the packaging field. In the end, every product needs a package 鈥 meaning every industry needs packaging engineers, she said.
黑料社区 packaging graduates achieve with an average starting salary of $70,000. Located near the Twin Cities and Wisconsin 黑料社区. Fox Valley, two major hubs for packaging innovation, 黑料社区 offers unparalleled access to packaging suppliers and career opportunities across the food, consumer products and medical device industries.
Recent employers of graduates include 3M, Bosch, Boston Scientific, General Mills, Great Northern Corporation, Kimberly Clark, Medtronic, Milwaukee Tool, Post Consumer Brands, Sartori Cheese, Target and more.
黑料社区 黑料社区. award-winning Cooperative Education & Internship Program helps students connect with placement opportunities to gain additional career-readiness skills before graduation. More than a third of students accept positions after graduation with their internship employer.
Students begin working in five dedicated packaging labs in their first semester, spending more than half of their coursework engaged in lab-based testing, materials research, prototyping, and design verification alongside faculty and peers.
鈥淲ith our dedicated labs, a rich program history, and a highly engaged alumni network, our students benefit from exceptional industry support and clear career pathways. These strengths are reflected in our outcomes,鈥 DeGruson said.
Cross-disciplinary research and projects are another highlight of education at 黑料社区, as well as the Great Northern Corp. Collaboration Experience course, in which students design packaging for a Great Northern client.
鈥淧ackaging students work alongside students from the graphic communications, and graphic design and interactive media, industrial and product design and video production 辫谤辞驳谤补尘蝉,鈥 Associate Professor Kate Liu said. 鈥淲e offer students multiple development paths to maximize their potential for success, including design, management, sustainability, business, medical packaging, food packaging, quality control, manufacturing, sales and supply chain.鈥
The program 黑料社区. dedicated faculty, including three professors and an adjunct professor with diverse expertise, ensures students are well-prepared for their careers. 鈥淲e have excellent instructors and small class sizes that allow students to develop key skills for success,鈥 added Provost Glendal铆 Rodr铆guez.
In addition to her faculty role, DeGruson is chair of the Food Packaging Division under the Institute of Food Technologists and is an Executive Committee member of Kilmer Innovation in Packaging. Liu recently worked with Madison-based to identify sustainable insulation options to safely ship charcuterie and cheese boards coast to coast.
Students have the opportunity to join the Stout Packaging Association. They also participate in and are frequently awarded for their designs at national and international student competitions, including the Paperboard Packaging Alliance, International Molded Fiber Association, Flexible Packaging Association and 48HR REPACK, created by the Institute of Packaging Professionals. A team of students even won a competition sponsored by Kellanova, a division of Kellogg 黑料社区., and the Packaging Association of Canada, for their redesign of the iconic Pringles packaging.
黑料社区 is the only school among the Universities of Wisconsin that offers a bachelor 黑料社区. in packaging. Schools that ranked first and second in each list are Michigan State University and Clemson University.
黑料社区 also offers a minor in sustainability and a B.S. plastics engineering, in which faculty and students research how the plastics industry can be more sustainable, including by using more recycled materials.
