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Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region

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2023 Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region

189 Colleges
$64,238 Avg Salary
$28,730 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree 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.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Nursing Degree Search has created the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 189 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which bachelor's degree programs were the most popular for nursing students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from the Nursing program at each school on the list.

Check out the nursing bachelor's degree programs at these schools if you want to attend one of the most popular in the Great Lakes Region .

Our analysis found Chamberlain University - Illinois to be the most popular school for nursing students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the Great Lakes Region . Located in the large suburb of Addison, Chamberlain - Illinois is a private for-profit school with a very large student population.

Of the 8,124 students majoring in nursing at Chamberlain - Illinois, 11% are male and 89% are female.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Chamberlain - Illinois accumulate an average of around $37,103 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $256.

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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. OHIO Athens is a fairly large public school located in the distant town of Athens.

Women make up 86% of the nursing majors at the school.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at OHIO Athens take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $30,722. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $180, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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Out of the 189 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the # 3 spot on the list. IUPUI is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Indianapolis.

Women make up 88% of the nursing majors at the school.

After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from IUPUI carry an average student debt load of $29,663. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $189.

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Out of the 189 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University Northwest landed the # 4 spot on the list. Purdue Northwest is a moderately-sized public school located in the large suburb of Hammond.

Of the 581 students majoring in nursing at Purdue Northwest, 15% are male and 85% are female.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Purdue Northwest accumulate an average of around $27,233 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $152.

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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Michigan University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan is a public school with a fairly large student population.

About 85% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 15% are male.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Eastern Michigan accumulate an average of around $31,566 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $164, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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Loyola University Chicago landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Loyola Chicago is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago.

Women make up 87% of the nursing majors at the school.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Loyola Chicago accumulate an average of around $28,313 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $767, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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Kent State University at Kent came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the large suburb of Kent, Kent State is a public school with a very large student population.

Women make up 86% of the nursing majors at the school.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Kent State take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $30,430. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $222.

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With a ranking of #8, Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. IWU is a large private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Marion.

Women make up 94% of the nursing majors at the school.

After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from IWU carry an average student debt load of $33,086. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $344.

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#9

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, MI

Oakland University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Oakland is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Rochester Hills.

About 84% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 16% are male.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Oakland take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $31,931. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $138.

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With a ranking of #10, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, SIUE is a public college with a large student population.

Of the 434 students majoring in nursing at SIUE, 10% are male and 90% are female.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at SIUE take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $23,837. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $215.

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#11

Oak Point University

Chicago, IL

Oak Point University landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Oak Point is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Chicago.

Of the 430 students majoring in nursing at Oak Point, 15% are male and 85% are female.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Oak Point accumulate an average of around $30,893 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $342, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#12

Purdue University Global

Indianapolis, IN

Purdue University Global did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #12 on the list. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Purdue University Global is a public college with a fairly large student population.

About 90% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 10% are male.

On average, nursing graduates from Purdue University Global take out $41,009 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

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Mount Carmel College of Nursing did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #13 on the list. Mount Carmel College of Nursing is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Columbus.

About 89% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 11% are male.

Nursing majors at Mount Carmel College of Nursing take out an average of $29,713 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $365.

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University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the city of Cincinnati, UC is a public college with a very large student population.

Women make up 87% of the nursing majors at the school.

On average, nursing graduates from UC take out $30,610 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $247.

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#15

Xavier University

Cincinnati, OH

Xavier University landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in the city of Cincinnati, Xavier is a private not-for-profit school with a medium-sized student population.

About 81% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 19% are male.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Xavier take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $28,826. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $726.

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#16

Marian University

Indianapolis, IN

Marian University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Marian is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Indianapolis.

Of the 356 students majoring in nursing at Marian, 15% are male and 85% are female.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Marian accumulate an average of around $38,168 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $192.

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With a ranking of #17, University of Michigan - Flint did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the city of Flint, UM Flint is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Women make up 83% of the nursing majors at the school.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at UM Flint accumulate an average of around $38,230 in student debt.

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Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #18 on the list. Ohio State is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus.

About 86% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 14% are male.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Ohio State take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $26,296. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $277, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#19

University of Toledo

Toledo, OH

University of Toledo ranked #19 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Toledo is a large public school located in the large city of Toledo.

About 86% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 14% are male.

After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from University of Toledo carry an average student debt load of $21,050. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $141.

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University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the large city of Chicago, UIC is a public school with a very large student population.

Women make up 83% of the nursing majors at the school.

On average, nursing graduates from UIC take out $21,477 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $299, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#21

Madonna University

Livonia, MI

Madonna University ranked #21 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Madonna is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Livonia.

Women make up 84% of the nursing majors at the school.

Nursing majors at Madonna take out an average of $33,827 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $260, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences ranked #22 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. The Christ College is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Cincinnati.

Of the 270 students majoring in nursing at The Christ College, 6% are male and 94% are female.

On average, nursing graduates from The Christ College take out $33,731 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $226.

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University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #23 on the list. Located in the small city of Oshkosh, UW Oshkosh is a public school with a large student population.

Of the 269 students majoring in nursing at UW Oshkosh, 10% are male and 90% are female.

After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from UW Oshkosh carry an average student debt load of $26,175. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $177, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#24

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH

With a ranking of #24, Cleveland State University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the large city of Cleveland, Cleveland State University is a public school with a large student population.

Of the 254 students majoring in nursing at Cleveland State University, 17% are male and 83% are female.

After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from Cleveland State University carry an average student debt load of $29,957. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $209.

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University of Detroit Mercy landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in the city of Detroit, Detroit Mercy is a private not-for-profit school with a medium-sized student population.

Women make up 90% of the nursing majors at the school.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Detroit Mercy take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $32,080. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $389.

Full Nursing at University of Detroit Mercy Report

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Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional popular schools for Nursing students in the Great Lakes Region that almost earned our Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region award.

Rank College Location
29 Baker College Owosso, MI
30 University of Southern Indiana Evansville, IN
31 Illinois State University Normal, IL
32 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
33 Aurora University Aurora, IL
34 Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN
35 Herzing University - Kenosha Kenosha, WI
36 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
37 Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
37 Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN

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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