Education
Educational opportunities, like our natural resources, are abundant. The vast number of colleges and universities that populate the region have turned the area into a hotbed for research, development and innovative growth. The continual output of college graduates also keeps our workforce young and diverse. Two major public universities in The 7 Rivers Alliance region are the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and Winona State University. Area private higher education institutions include Viterbo University in La Crosse, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona and Luther College in Decorah, all of which have been acclaimed by U.S. News & World Report. Additional colleges offering associate degrees, certificates and diplomas in the region are Western Technical College, Globe University, Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical and Northeast Iowa Community College.
Wisconsin Higher Education
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
1725 State St
La Crosse, WI 54601
900 Viterbo Ct
La Crosse, WI 54601
Globe University – La Cross Campus
2651 Midwest Dr
Onalaska, WI 54650
400 7th St N
La Crosse, WI 54601
Minnesota Higher Education
175 W Mark St
Winona, MN 55987
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
700 Terrace Heights
Winona, MN 55987
Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical
308 Pioneer Rd
Red Wing, MN 55066
Iowa Higher Education
700 College Dr
Decorah, IA 52101
Northeast Iowa Community College
1625 IA-150
Calmar, IA 52132
Transportation
Roads
Located between Minneapolis, MN and Madison, WI, sprawling the center of our ten-county region is Interstate 90, which connects with Chicago-bound Interstate 94 in Madison to the east and runs all the way to Wyoming in the west. The region is also parted by the scenic Great River Road, a historic byway that follows the Mississippi River through 10 states for nearly 3,000 miles. Major U.S. highways include 14, 53 and 61. The average La Crosse area commute time for workers is 14.23 minutes.
Air
The La Crosse Regional Airport provides daily flights via Delta Airlines and American Airlines with direct service to three connecting cities: Minneapolis, Chicago and Detroit. Drive times and distances to nearby major airports:
- Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD): 269 miles, 4:49 hours
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP): 152 miles, 2:40 hours
Additionally, Winona Municipal Airport – Max Conrad Field allows charter, corporate and private aircraft flights.
Rail
Passenger: Amtrak’s Empire Builder, which runs from Chicago through Minneapolis/St. Paul to Seattle, WA and Portland, OR, crosses the region, stopping at stations in both La Crosse and Winona.
Freight: Area lines include Canadian Pacific Railway, Canadian National Railway, and BNSF Railway
Bus
Jefferson Lines: Provides regional and national service to more than 4,000 destinations with stops in La Crosse, Sparta, Westby, Tomah and Winona.
Greyhound: Provides regional and national service to more than 2,300 destinations with stops in La Crosse, Sparta, Tomah and Winona.
Badger Bus: The College Connection services runs between UW-Milwaukee, UW-La Crosse and the University of Minnesota.