2023 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
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.
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2023 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Value Nursing Colleges.
Top 25 Best Great Lakes Region Schools for Affordable Quality in Nursing
Our 2023 rankings named Graham Hospital School of Nursing the best value school in the Great Lakes Region for nursing students. Graham Hospital School of Nursing is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Canton.
Graham Hospital School of Nursing undergraduate students pay an average of $7,206 in tuition and fees each year.
Out of the 305 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing landed the # 2 spot on the list. Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Sandusky.
Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing undergraduate students pay an average of $6,992 in tuition and fees each 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.
Read full report on Nursing at Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Wayne County Community College District. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region 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.
Read full report on Nursing at Wayne County Community College District
The excellent programs at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Flex helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in the Great Lakes Region . UWM Flexible Option is a fairly small public school located in the city of Milwaukee.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UWM Flexible Option are $6,750 a 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.
Full Nursing at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Flex Report
The excellent programs at Madison Area Technical College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in the Great Lakes Region . Located in the city of Madison, Madison College is a public school 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 .
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.
WSCC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,032 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from WSCC carry an average student debtload of $23,664.
With a ranking of #7, Oakland Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students. Located in the suburb of Bloomfield Hills, Oakland Community College is a public college with a large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Oakland Community College are $5,200 per year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at Oakland Community College accumulate an average of around $18,438 in student debt.
Trinity Health System School of Nursing came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Trinity Health System School of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Steubenville.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Trinity Health System School of Nursing are $13,386 per year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Trinity Health System School of Nursing take out is $20,824.
Northcentral Technical College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. North Central Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in the small city of Wausau.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at North Central Technical College are $5,415 a year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at North Central Technical College accumulate an average of around $14,000 in student debt.
Chippewa Valley Technical College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Located in the city of Eau Claire, CVTC is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at CVTC are $6,683 a year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at CVTC take out is $24,000.
CVTC also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. 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.
Schoolcraft College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. 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.
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 school with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Western Technical College are $6,687 per year. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Western Technical College carry an average student debtload of $20,095.
With a ranking of #14, Gateway Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students. Gateway Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in the suburb of Kenosha.
Gateway Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,803 in tuition and fees each 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 also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Blackhawk Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #15 on the list. 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. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from BTC carry an average student debtload of $22,416.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, BTC also is in the top 10% of our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
With a ranking of #16, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students. NWTC is a 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.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, NWTC also is in the top 20% of our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Moraine Park Technical College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Nursing 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.
Moraine Park Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,683 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at Moraine Park Technical College accumulate an average of around $17,817 in student debt.
In addition to its great value ranking, Moraine Park Technical College is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Read full report on Nursing at Moraine Park Technical College
Delta College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the rural area of University Center, Delta College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Delta College are $7,100 per year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Delta College take out is $18,342.
Fox Valley Technical College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. FVTC is a large public school located in the midsize suburb of Appleton.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at FVTC are $6,861 a year. On average, nursing graduates from FVTC take out $19,224 in student loans while working on their degree.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, FVTC also is in the top 5% of our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Waukesha County Technical College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Located in the large suburb of Pewaukee, WCTC is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WCTC are $6,603 a year. Nursing majors at WCTC take out an average of $20,590 in student loans while working on their egree.
James A Rhodes State College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Located in the suburb of Lima, Rhodes State College is a public school with a small student population.
Rhodes State College undergraduate students pay an average of $8,721 in tuition and fees each year. On average, nursing graduates from Rhodes State College take out $21,833 in student loans while working on their degree.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Rhodes State College also is in the top 15% of our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Ivy Tech Community College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ivy Tech Community College is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Indianapolis.
Ivy Tech Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $8,927 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at Ivy Tech Community College accumulate an average of around $17,979 in student debt.
Ivy Tech Community College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #23 on the list. 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.
Read full report on Nursing at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
Henry Ford College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. 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.
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 college 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.
Rest of the Top Best Value Nursing Schools in the Great Lakes Region
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 colleges 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
Nursing Related Majors for Nursing
Nursing Concentrations
Most Popular Majors Related to Nursing
| 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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