2023 Best Nursing Schools in Wisconsin
Finding the Best Nursing School for You
Out of the majors we analyze each year, nursing was the most popular one in Wisconsin. In total, 5,410 people earned a degree or certificate in the field from a school in Wisconsin.
There are so many nursing programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Nursing Degree Search has created its Best Nursing Schools in Wisconsin ranking. Our analysis looked at 43 schools in Wisconsin to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for nursing students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Nursing Schools in Wisconsin
Check out the nursing programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Nursing Schools
Our 2023 rankings named University of Wisconsin - Madison the best school in Wisconsin for nursing students. Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public school with a very large student population.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at UW - Madison take out is $37,881. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $325.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Ottawa University - Milwaukee is a great place for nursing students. Located in the large suburb of Brookfield, Ottawa University - Milwaukee is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at Ottawa University - Milwaukee accumulate an average of around $19,225 in student debt.
The excellent programs at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Flex helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Wisconsin. Located in the large city of Milwaukee, UWM Flexible Option is a public school with a fairly small student population.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from UWM Flexible Option carry an average student debtload of $21,500. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $218.
Full Nursing at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Flex Report
The excellent programs at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Wisconsin. Located in the city of Eau Claire, UW - Eau Claire is a public college with a large student population.
Nursing majors at UW - Eau Claire take out an average of $35,344 in student loans while working on their egree.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Madison Area Technical College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Wisconsin list. Madison College is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Madison.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Madison College take out is $19,874.
With a ranking of #6, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. UW - Green Bay is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Green Bay.
On average, nursing graduates from UW - Green Bay take out $15,221 in student loans while working on their degree.
Read full report on Nursing at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
With a ranking of #7, Marquette University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Marquette is a large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Milwaukee.
On average, nursing graduates from Marquette take out $51,997 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $529.
With a ranking of #8, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. UW Oshkosh is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Oshkosh.
On average, nursing graduates from UW Oshkosh take out $41,222 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $172.
With a ranking of #9, Herzing University - Brookfield did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Located in the suburb of Brookfield, Herzing University - Brookfield is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
Nursing majors at Herzing University - Brookfield take out an average of $32,588 in student loans while working on their egree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $186.
Milwaukee School of Engineering ranked #10 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Wisconsin list. Located in the large city of Milwaukee, MSOE is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from MSOE carry an average student debtload of $25,000.
Best Nursing Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 7,345 |
| Ohio | 13,973 |
| Illinois | 21,938 |
| Indiana | 7,922 |
Nursing Related Rankings by Major
Nursing Focus Areas
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 262,974 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 16,647 |
| Nursing Practice | 8,862 |
| Nursing Administration | 8,663 |
| Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 4,717 |
| Nursing Science | 4,701 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,895 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,075 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 2,011 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,768 |
| Critical Care Nursing | 747 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 622 |
| Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery | 567 |
| School Nursing | 539 |
| Clinical Nurse Leader | 502 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 340 |
| Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing | 269 |
| Women’s Health Nurse/Nursing | 262 |
| Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing | 192 |
| Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing | 87 |
| Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing | 26 |
| Forensic Nursing | 23 |
| Palliative Care Nursing | 13 |
Most Popular Majors Related to Nursing
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 85,339 |
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.