I’m not sure how small you mean when you say that you’re looking for smaller schools (than U. of Wisconsin). So some schools are small with around 2k undergrads, others are mid-size with about 4-8k undergrads, and then some are larger but not necessarily huge (except for U. of Minnesota). Below are schools that might your family might want to look into. When the links and more detailed descriptions stop, it’s due to my fatigue and not the worthiness of the later schools.
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Augustana (IL): This school of about 2300 undergrads is in the Quad Cities area where Illinois and Iowa meet. It has two different study abroad programs in Germany that allow the full use of all financial aid from Augustana. It offers a German Studies major and offers a concentration in international business within its business administration degree as well as a separate major in international business. The school offers generous merit aid…perhaps enough to get to your price point.
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Bowling Green State (OH): About 14k undergrads. Offers a major in German with study abroad options in Salzburg, Austria but also in Germany. In the business school students can do a concentration in supply chain or in international business.
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Butler (IN): This school of about 4400 undergrads is in Indianapolis. It offers several study abroad programs in Germany, a major in German, and several different business majors, including international business.
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Creighton (NE): This Jesuit school in Omaha has about 4300 undergrads. It has two Creighton-In Germany programs, a general one and one focused on business. It offers a major in German Studies as well as several business degrees, including one in international business. There are competitive scholarships here, including up to a full ride.
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Grand Valley State (MI): This school of about 19k undergrads offers majors in German and supply chain management, and has related study abroad opportunities.
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Marquette (WI): This Jesuit school of about 7500 in Milwaukee offers majors in German, operations & supply chain management (that advertises that U.S. News ranked it as the 16th best such undergrad program in the U.S.), and international business. It even has its own office for business majors wanting to study or intern abroad (in addition to the one for non-business majors).
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Moravian (PA ): This school of about 1900 undergrads offers majors in both German and German Studies, and students can even get credit for an internship in the foreign language. There is an exchange program in Germany as well. There are majors in supply chain management and in international management, too.
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Getting tired, but some other schools you may want to consider include:
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Rhodes (TN): About 2k undergrads
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Saint Louis (MO): About 11k undergrads
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U. of Arkansas: About 26k undergrads, offers all the desired majors, and gives very generous merit aid.
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U. of Cincinnati (OH): About 30k undergrads, and there is a strong co-op culture here, in case that interests your D.
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U. of Dayton (OH): About 8400 undergrads
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U. of Minnesota – Twin Cities: About 39k undergrads and I believe there’s a tuition reciprocity agreement with Wisconsin, so this should be similarly within budget.
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U. of Nebraska – Lincoln: About 19k undergrads
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U. of North Carolina – Charlotte: About 23k undergrads and German is a more popular major here than at about any other college I was looking at.
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U. of Rhode Island: Seconding this school of about 15k undergrads
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U. of St. Thomas (MN): About 5900 undergrads