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2023 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

305 Colleges
$7,058 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$67,647 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Nursing School for You

Nursing is the most popular major in the United States with 57,106 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for nursing students. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

The Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking is one of many tools that Nursing Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 305 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which programs offered the best value experiences for nursing students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. 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.

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

Top 25 Best Great Lakes Region Schools for Affordable Quality in Nursing

$7,206 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found Graham Hospital School of Nursing to be the best value school for nursing students who want to pursue a degree in the Great Lakes Region . Graham Hospital School of Nursing is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Canton.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Graham Hospital School of Nursing are $7,206 a year.

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$6,992 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing is a great value 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.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing are $6,992 a year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing accumulate an average of around $30,000 in student debt.

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$3,998 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 305 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Wayne County Community College District landed the # 3 spot on the list. WCCCD is a large public school located in the large city of Detroit.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCCCD are $3,998 per year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at WCCCD accumulate an average of around $18,389 in student debt.

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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Flex. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UWM Flexible Option is a fairly small public school located in the large city of Milwaukee.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UWM Flexible Option are $6,750 per year. On average, nursing graduates from UWM Flexible Option take out $27,902 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $182.

UWM Flexible Option did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.

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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Madison Area Technical College is a great value for nursing students. Located in the large city of Madison, Madison College is a public college with a large student population.

Madison College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,769 in tuition and fees each year. On average, nursing graduates from Madison College take out $26,156 in student loans while working on their degree.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Madison College is ranked #3 for overall quality for nursing in the Great Lakes Region .

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$4,032 Average Tuition & Fees

Washington State Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. WSCC is a small public school located in the rural area of Marietta.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WSCC are $4,032 a year. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from WSCC carry an average student debtload of $23,664.

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#7

Oakland Community College

Bloomfield Hills, MI
$5,200 Average Tuition & Fees

Oakland Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the suburb of Bloomfield Hills, Oakland Community College is a public school with a large student population.

Oakland Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,200 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at Oakland Community College accumulate an average of around $18,438 in student debt.

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$13,386 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #8, Trinity Health System School of Nursing did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students. Trinity Health System School of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Steubenville.

Trinity Health System School of Nursing undergraduate students pay an average of $13,386 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Trinity Health System School of Nursing take out is $20,824.

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$5,415 Average Tuition & Fees

Northcentral Technical College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. North Central Technical College is a medium-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. While working on their degree, nursing majors at North Central Technical College accumulate an average of around $14,000 in student debt.

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Chippewa Valley Technical College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the city of Eau Claire, CVTC is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

CVTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,683 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at CVTC take out is $24,000.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, CVTC also is in the top 10% of our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.

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$6,683 Average Tuition & Fees

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. 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. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Southwest Tech take out is $18,125.

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#12

Schoolcraft College

Livonia, MI

Schoolcraft College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #12 on the list. Located in the city of Livonia, Schoolcraft College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Schoolcraft College are $7,574 per year. Nursing majors at Schoolcraft College take out an average of $22,039 in student loans while working on their egree.

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#13

Western Technical College

La Crosse, WI
$6,687 Average Tuition & Fees

Western Technical College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Located in the city of La Crosse, Western Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

Western Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,687 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Western Technical College carry an average student debtload of $20,095.

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Gateway Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #14 on the list. Gateway Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the midsize 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 degree, nursing majors at Gateway Technical College accumulate an average of around $16,970 in student debt.

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

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#15

Blackhawk Technical College

Janesville, WI

Blackhawk Technical College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. BTC is a small public school located in the small suburb of Janesville.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BTC are $6,683 per year. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from BTC carry an average student debtload of $22,416.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, BTC also did well on our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

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Northeast Wisconsin Technical College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. NWTC is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of Green Bay.

NWTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,849 in tuition and fees each year. On average, nursing graduates from NWTC take out $20,769 in student loans while working on their degree.

In addition to its great value ranking, NWTC is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.

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#17

Moraine Park Technical College

Fond du Lac, WI

Moraine Park Technical College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Moraine Park Technical College is a small public school located in the small city of Fond du Lac.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Moraine Park Technical College are $6,683 a year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at Moraine Park Technical College accumulate an average of around $17,817 in student debt.

Moraine Park Technical College also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.

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#18

Delta College

University Center, MI
$7,100 Average Tuition & Fees

Delta College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #18 on the list. Located in the rural area of University Center, Delta College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Delta College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,100 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Delta College take out is $18,342.

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With a ranking of #18, Fox Valley Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students. FVTC is a fairly large public school located in the midsize suburb of Appleton.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at FVTC are $6,861 per year. On average, nursing graduates from FVTC take out $19,224 in student loans while working on their degree.

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

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Waukesha County Technical College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the suburb of Pewaukee, WCTC is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCTC are $6,603 per year. Nursing majors at WCTC take out an average of $20,590 in student loans while working on their egree.

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James A Rhodes State College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Located in the small suburb of Lima, Rhodes State College is a public school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Rhodes State College are $8,721 per year. On average, nursing graduates from Rhodes State College take out $21,833 in student loans while working on their degree.

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

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#22

Ivy Tech Community College

Indianapolis, IN

Ivy Tech Community College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Indianapolis.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Ivy Tech Community College are $8,927 a year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at Ivy Tech Community College accumulate an average of around $17,979 in student debt.

In addition to its great value ranking, Ivy Tech Community College is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.

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$6,960 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #23, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students. WITC is a small public school located in the rural area of Shell Lake.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WITC are $6,960 a year. Nursing majors at WITC take out an average of $16,713 in student loans while working on their egree.

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#24

Henry Ford College

Dearborn, MI
$7,192 Average Tuition & Fees

Henry Ford College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #24 on the list. Henry Ford College is a fairly large public school located in the city of Dearborn.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Henry Ford College are $7,192 per year. On average, nursing graduates from Henry Ford College take out $25,250 in student loans while working on their degree.

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#25

Mid-State Technical College

Wisconsin Rapids, WI
$6,351 Average Tuition & Fees

Mid-State Technical College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the rural area of Wisconsin Rapids, Mid-State is a public school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Mid-State are $6,351 per year. On average, nursing graduates from Mid-State take out $16,917 in student loans while working on their degree.

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Rest of the Top Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region

#26

Washtenaw Community College

Ann Arbor, MI
#27

Lakeshore Technical College

Cleveland, WI
#28

Ohio Institute of Allied Health

Huber Heights, OH
#32

Southwestern Illinois College

Belleville, IL
#34

Highland Community College

Freeport, IL
#36

Ottawa University - Milwaukee

Brookfield, WI
#37

West Shore Community College

Scottville, MI
#38

Clark State Community College

Springfield, OH
#39

Glen Oaks Community College

Centreville, MI
#41

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI
#42

Rend Lake College

Ina, IL
#43

Lake Michigan College

Benton Harbor, MI
#45

Mid Michigan College

Harrison, MI
#45

John A Logan College

Carterville, IL

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional great value schools for Nursing students in the Great Lakes Region seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region award.

Rank College Location
47 Ohio University - Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH
48 Lakeland Community College Kirtland, OH
48 Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH
50 Black Hawk College Moline, IL
51 Rasmussen University - Illinois Rockford, IL
52 Kalamazoo Valley Community College Kalamazoo, MI
53 Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland, OH
54 Stark State College North Canton, OH
55 Monroe County Community College Monroe, MI
55 Southwestern Michigan College Dowagiac, MI
57 Kirtland Community College Roscommon, MI
57 Gogebic Community College Ironwood, MI
59 Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove, IL
60 Elgin Community College Elgin, IL
60 John Wood Community College Quincy, 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

Nursing Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 266,651
Family Practice Nurse/Nursing 16,104
Nursing Administration 9,838
Nursing Practice 7,992
Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 5,092
Nursing Science 4,600
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing 2,287
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing 2,021
Nurse Anesthetist 1,936
Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing 1,883
Critical Care Nursing 773
Geriatric Nurse/Nursing 563
School Nursing 553
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery 509
Clinical Nurse Leader 444
Clinical Nurse Specialist 419
Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing 331
Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing 181
Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing 57
Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing 53
Palliative Care Nursing 14
Forensic Nursing 14

Related Major Annual Graduates
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 84,274

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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