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Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region

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2023 Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

139 Colleges
$6,718 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$57,601 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Nursing Associate Degree 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.

The Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 139 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which ones offered the best value associate degree programs for nursing students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

2023 Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best value schools for nursing majors pursuing a associate degree.

Top 15% Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools

Our analysis found Wayne County Community College District to be the best value school for nursing students who want to pursue a associate degree in the Great Lakes Region . WCCCD is a fairly large public school located in the city of Detroit.

WCCCD undergraduate students pay an average of $3,998 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their Associate Degree, nursing graduates from WCCCD carry an average student debtload of $23,759.

Read More…

The excellent associate degree programs at Madison Area Technical College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value nursing schools in the Great Lakes Region . Located in the city of Madison, Madison College is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Madison College are $6,769 per year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Madison College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $26,980.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Madison College is ranked #4 for overall quality for nursing in the Great Lakes Region .

Read full report on Nursing at Madison Area Technical College

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Washington State Community College is a great value for nursing students working on their associate degree. WSCC is a small public school located in the rural area of Marietta.

WSCC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,032 in tuition and fees each year. On average, nursing graduates from WSCC take out $24,191 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Full Nursing at Washington State Community College Report

#4

Oakland Community College

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Out of the 139 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Oakland Community College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the large suburb of Bloomfield Hills, Oakland Community College is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Oakland Community College are $5,200 per year. Nursing majors at Oakland Community College take out an average of $20,606 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Full Nursing at Oakland Community College Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northcentral Technical College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. North Central Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the small city of Wausau.

North Central Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,415 in tuition and fees each year. Nursing majors at North Central Technical College take out an average of $17,785 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

In addition to its great value ranking, North Central Technical College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.

Full Nursing at Northcentral Technical College Report

Chippewa Valley Technical College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the small city of Eau Claire, CVTC is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at CVTC are $6,683 per year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at CVTC take out while working on their Associate Degree is $24,781.

CVTC also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.

Read full report on Nursing at Chippewa Valley Technical College

With a ranking of #7, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Southwest Tech is a small public school located in the rural area of Fennimore.

Southwest Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $6,683 in tuition and fees each year. Nursing majors at Southwest Tech take out an average of $20,050 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Southwest Tech excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.

Read full report on Nursing at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College

#8

Schoolcraft College

Livonia, MI

Schoolcraft College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree nursing programs. Located in the city of Livonia, Schoolcraft College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Schoolcraft College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,574 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their Associate Degree, nursing majors at Schoolcraft College accumulate an average of around $24,773 in student debt.

Full Nursing at Schoolcraft College Report

#9

Western Technical College

La Crosse, WI

Western Technical College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the small city of La Crosse, Western Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Western Technical College are $6,687 per year. On average, nursing graduates from Western Technical College take out $21,920 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

In addition to its great value ranking, Western Technical College is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.

Read More…

Gateway Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a associate degree. It came in at #10 on the list. Gateway Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the medium-sized suburb of Kenosha.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Gateway Technical College are $6,803 a year. While working on their Associate Degree, nursing majors at Gateway Technical College accumulate an average of around $19,670 in student debt.

Full Nursing at Gateway Technical College Report

#11

Blackhawk Technical College

Janesville, WI

Blackhawk Technical College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. BTC is a small public school located in the suburb of Janesville.

BTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,683 in tuition and fees each year. On average, nursing graduates from BTC take out $23,834 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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Northeast Wisconsin Technical College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. NWTC is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of Green Bay.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NWTC are $6,849 per year. Nursing majors at NWTC take out an average of $21,872 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

NWTC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.

Read full report on Nursing at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

#13

Moraine Park Technical College

Fond du Lac, WI

Moraine Park Technical College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Moraine Park Technical College is a small public school located in the small city of Fond du Lac.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Moraine Park Technical College are $6,683 per year. On average, nursing graduates from Moraine Park Technical College take out $19,237 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Full Nursing at Moraine Park Technical College Report

With a ranking of #14, Fox Valley Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. FVTC is a large public school located in the suburb of Appleton.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at FVTC are $6,861 per year. While working on their Associate Degree, nursing majors at FVTC accumulate an average of around $20,405 in student debt.

FVTC also took the #5 spot in our Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region rankings.

Read full report on Nursing at Fox Valley Technical College

#14

Delta College

University Center, MI

Delta College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the rural area of University Center, Delta College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Delta College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,100 in tuition and fees each year. Nursing majors at Delta College take out an average of $21,140 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Read full report on Nursing at Delta College

Waukesha County Technical College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the large suburb of Pewaukee, WCTC is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

WCTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,603 in tuition and fees each year. Nursing majors at WCTC take out an average of $24,515 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, WCTC also did well on our Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Nursing at Waukesha County Technical College Report

James A Rhodes State College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the suburb of Lima, Rhodes State College is a public college with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Rhodes State College are $8,721 a year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Rhodes State College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $23,078.

Rhodes State College also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.

Read More…

#18

Ivy Tech Community College

Indianapolis, IN

Ivy Tech Community College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree nursing programs. Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public school located in the large city of Indianapolis.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ivy Tech Community College are $8,927 per year. After completing their Associate Degree, nursing graduates from Ivy Tech Community College carry an average student debtload of $20,860.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Ivy Tech Community College also is in the top 10% of our Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.

Full Nursing at Ivy Tech Community College Report

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree nursing programs. WITC is a small public school located in the rural area of Shell Lake.

WITC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,960 in tuition and fees each year. On average, nursing graduates from WITC take out $18,721 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Full Nursing at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Report

#20

Henry Ford College

Dearborn, MI

With a ranking of #20, Henry Ford College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Henry Ford College is a large public school located in the midsize city of Dearborn.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Henry Ford College are $7,192 per year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Henry Ford College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $27,674.

Full Nursing at Henry Ford College Report

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 Value Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region award.

Rank College Location
21 Mid-State Technical College Wisconsin Rapids, WI
22 Washtenaw Community College Ann Arbor, MI
23 Lakeshore Technical College Cleveland, WI
24 Macomb Community College Warren, MI
25 Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WI
26 Central Ohio Technical College Newark, OH
27 Southwestern Illinois College Belleville, IL

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

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.

  • 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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