2023 Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Finding the Best Nursing School for You
With 322,592 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, nursing is the #3 most popular major in the United States.
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 305 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Nursing Colleges.
Top 25 Top Great Lakes Region Schools in Nursing
Our 2023 rankings named Trinity Health System School of Nursing the best school in the Great Lakes Region for nursing students. Trinity Health System School of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Steubenville.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Trinity Health System School of Nursing carry an average student debtload of $20,824.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Graham Hospital School of Nursing. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Graham Hospital School of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Canton.
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Out of the 305 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing landed the # 3 spot on the list. St. Elizabeth School of Nursing and University of Saint Francis Cooperative Nursing Program is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lafayette.
On average, nursing graduates from St. Elizabeth School of Nursing and University of Saint Francis Cooperative Nursing Program take out $43,960 in student loans while working on their degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $424, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Ohio Institute of Allied Health is a great place for nursing students. Ohio Institute of Allied Health is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Huber Heights.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing is a great place for nursing students. Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Sandusky.
Nursing majors at Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing take out an average of $30,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Ohio Medical Career College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Ohio Medical Career College is a small private for-profit school located in the midsize city of Dayton.
On average, nursing graduates from Ohio Medical Career College take out $27,971 in student loans while working on their degree.
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With a ranking of #7, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. UW - Madison is a very large public school located in the large city of Madison.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from UW - Madison carry an average student debtload of $24,104.
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Tri-Rivers Career Center came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Tri-Rivers Career Center is a small public school located in the distant town of Marion.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Tri-Rivers Career Center take out is $27,748.
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Chamberlain University - Michigan did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the small city of Troy, Chamberlain - Michigan is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Chamberlain - Michigan take out is $38,460. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $256.
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With a ranking of #10, Ottawa University - Milwaukee did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Ottawa University - Milwaukee is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Brookfield.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at Ottawa University - Milwaukee accumulate an average of around $26,768 in student debt.
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Chamberlain University - Ohio ranked #11 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the large city of Columbus, Chamberlain - Ohio is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at Chamberlain - Ohio accumulate an average of around $38,460 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $256.
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University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Flex landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. UWM Flexible Option is a small public school located in the city of Milwaukee.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at UWM Flexible Option take out is $27,902. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $182, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Chamberlain University - Indiana did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #13 on the list. Chamberlain - Indiana is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large city of Indianapolis.
On average, nursing graduates from Chamberlain - Indiana take out $38,460 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $256.
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Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. RFUMS is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of North Chicago.
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Chamberlain University - Illinois landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Located in the suburb of Addison, Chamberlain - Illinois is a private for-profit college with a very large student population.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Chamberlain - Illinois take out is $38,460. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $256.
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Ambria College of Nursing landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Ambria College of Nursing is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Hoffman Estates.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at Ambria College of Nursing accumulate an average of around $34,750 in student debt.
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Rasmussen University - Illinois did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #17 on the list. Located in the city of Rockford, Rasmussen University - Illinois is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Rasmussen University - Illinois take out is $35,539. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $161.
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Collins Career Technical Center landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Located in the rural area of Chesapeake, CollinsCTC is a public college with a fairly small student population.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at CollinsCTC take out is $24,180.
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University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UW - Eau Claire is a large public school located in the city of Eau Claire.
On average, nursing graduates from UW - Eau Claire take out $25,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Sandusky Career Center did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #20 on the list. Sandusky Career Center is a small public school located in the distant town of Sandusky.
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Rush University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #21 on the list. Located in the city of Chicago, Rush University is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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With a ranking of #22, Illinois Wesleyan University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Located in the small city of Bloomington, Illinois Wesleyan is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, nursing graduates from Illinois Wesleyan take out $26,855 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Madison Area Technical College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Located in the city of Madison, Madison College is a public school with a large student population.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Madison College take out is $26,156.
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Saint Anthony College of Nursing landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. SACN is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Rockford.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at SACN take out is $25,000. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $281.
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With a ranking of #25, Case Western Reserve University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Located in the large city of Cleveland, Case Western is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
On average, nursing graduates from Case Western take out $24,201 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $272.
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Honorable Mentions
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | Illinois State University | Normal, IL |
| 47 | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point | Stevens Point, WI |
| 48 | Chippewa Valley Technical College | Eau Claire, WI |
| 49 | Kettering College | Kettering, OH |
| 50 | Edgewood College | Madison, WI |
| 51 | Herzing University - Kenosha | Kenosha, WI |
| 52 | Athena Career Academy | Toledo, OH |
| 53 | Schoolcraft College | Livonia, MI |
| 54 | Carroll University | Waukesha, WI |
| 55 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI |
| 56 | Rasmussen University - Wisconsin | Green Bay, WI |
| 57 | Concordia University, Chicago | River Forest, IL |
| 58 | Ball State University | Muncie, IN |
| 59 | University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI |
| 60 | Mount Carmel College of Nursing | Columbus, OH |
| 61 | Viterbo University | La Crosse, WI |
Best Nursing Colleges by State
Explore the best nursing schools for a specific state in the Great Lakes region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 7,345 |
| Ohio | 13,973 |
| Illinois | 21,938 |
| Indiana | 7,922 |
| Wisconsin | 5,410 |
More Nursing Rankings in the Great Lakes Region
Rankings in Majors Related to Nursing
One of 30 majors within the area of study, nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.
Majors Similar to Nursing
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 89,359 |
| Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services | 84,492 |
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 84,274 |
| Allied Health Professions | 82,308 |
| Public Health | 40,596 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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