Applied learning, strong industry partnerships benefit students, create clear career pathways
UW-Stout’s B.S. packaging program has been recognized by three national ranking authorities in their annual listings:
- College Raptor: No. 3 for 2026
- Universities.com: No. 9 for 2026
- College Factual: No. 5 for 2025
“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top packaging programs in the nation,” said Associate Professor Min DeGruson, program director. “UW-Stout’s distinction comes from our polytechnic approach of hands-on, applied learning, our deep and long-standing industry partnerships and our strong career focus.”
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 — meaning every industry needs packaging engineers, she said.
UW-Stout packaging graduates achieve 100% job placement with an average starting salary of $70,000. Located near the Twin Cities and Wisconsin’s Fox Valley, two major hubs for packaging innovation, UW-Stout 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.
UW-Stout’s 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.
“With 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,” DeGruson said.
Cross-disciplinary research and projects are another highlight of education at UW-Stout, as well as the Great Northern Corp. Collaboration Experience course, in which students design packaging for a Great Northern client.
“Packaging students work alongside students from the graphic communications, and graphic design and interactive media, industrial and product design and video production programs,” Associate Professor Kate Liu said. “We 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.”
The program’s dedicated faculty, including three professors and an adjunct professor with diverse expertise, ensures students are well-prepared for their careers. “We have excellent instructors and small class sizes that allow students to develop key skills for success,” added Provost Glendalí Rodríguez.
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 Tricky Foods 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’s, and the Packaging Association of Canada, for their redesign of the iconic Pringles packaging.
UW-Stout is the only school among the Universities of Wisconsin that offers a bachelor’s in packaging. Schools that ranked first and second in each list are Michigan State University and Clemson University.
UW-Stout 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.
Written by Abbey Goers
Link to original story: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/news-center/uw-stouts-packaging-program-ranks-among-top-10-national-listings-its-polytechnic-approach