2023 Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
With all the nursing programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. Or you may find the programs at a trade school or bootcamp to be a better alternative for you.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Nursing Degree Search has created the Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 143 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which ones offered the best bachelor's degree programs for nursing students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school us, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found University of Wisconsin - Madison to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the Great Lakes Region . University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 9,741 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Wisconsin pay an average of $10,796 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend UW - Madison. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $39,427. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $19,315 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that UW - Madison does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 31% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Ottawa University - Milwaukee helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in the Great Lakes Region . This very small private not-for-profit school is located in Brookfield, Wisconsin, and it awarded 40 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Ottawa University - Milwaukee is $12,676. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Ottawa University - Milwaukee accumulate an average of $22,339 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Ottawa University - Milwaukee does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 98% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 143 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Flex landed the # 3 spot on the list. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Flex is a very small public school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 112 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,141 in student loans.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out UWM Flexible Option. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
The excellent bachelor’s degree 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 the Great Lakes Region . UW - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,315 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Wisconsin who attend UW - Eau Claire full time pay an average of $8,914 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $17,627. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UW - Eau Claire accumulate an average of $20,634 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since UW - Eau Claire does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 49% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Loyola University Chicago. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Loyola Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 3,286 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Loyola Chicago is $49,498. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,633 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Loyola Chicago does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 32% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Illinois Wesleyan University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Bloomington, Illinois, and it awarded 404 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Illinois Wesleyan is $53,814. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.
With a ranking of #7, Purdue University Northwest did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Hammond, Indiana, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,580 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Indiana pay an average of $7,803 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Purdue Northwest. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,478. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Purdue Northwest accumulate an average of $23,913 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Purdue Northwest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 42% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UW Oshkosh is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,837 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $7,795 in tuition and fees if they attend UW Oshkosh full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $15,368. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UW Oshkosh accumulate an average of $22,133 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at UW Oshkosh, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 34% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #9 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 8,969 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Students from Michigan who attend U-M full time pay an average of $17,786 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $57,273. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from U-M accumulate an average of $17,206 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
U-M does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 46% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #10, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. This medium-sized public school is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and it awarded 1,371 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UW - Green Bay is $7,873. Out-of-state students pay an average of $16,091. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UW - Green Bay accumulate an average of $20,627 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
UW - Green Bay does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 63% took at least some of their classes online.
Marquette University landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,470 students in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $46,670 to cover tuition and fees at Marquette. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,073 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Marquette does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 21% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Saint Mary’s College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Saint Mary’s College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Notre Dame, Indiana that handed out 366 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend St. Mary’s College, expect to pay an average of $49,930 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $25,152 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at St. Mary’s College. In fact, around 2% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Ohio Northern University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #13 on the list. ONU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ada, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 450 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
ONU does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $36,530. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from ONU accumulate an average of $26,252 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
ONU does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2020-2021 year, about 10% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #14 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UWM is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3,936 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UWM is $9,620. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $21,485. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $24,040 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since UWM does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 68% took at least some of their classes online.
Ball State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #15 on the list. Ball State is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3,343 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Indiana who attend Ball State full time pay an average of $10,440 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $27,924. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Ball State accumulate an average of $21,945 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Ball State, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 50% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #16, Case Western Reserve University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 1,618 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Case Western, expect to pay an average of $61,584 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,425 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Case Western. In 2020-2021 about 4% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
McKendree University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Lebanon, Illinois, and it awarded 440 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
McKendree does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $33,430. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $21,750 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at McKendree. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 55% took at least some of their classes online.
Milwaukee School of Engineering came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. MSOE is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 563 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend MSOE, expect to pay an average of $46,506 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from MSOE accumulate an average of $26,359 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
MSOE does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 8% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Hope College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Holland, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 837 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Hope is $37,221. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Hope accumulate an average of $23,118 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Hope does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 40% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #20, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized public school situated in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It awarded 1,521 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Wisconsin who attend UW - Stevens Point full time pay an average of $8,376 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $17,080. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,125 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at UW - Stevens Point. In fact, around 57% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Edgewood College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Edgewood is located in Madison, Wisconsin and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 375 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,324 in student loans.
Edgewood does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 12% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #22, Illinois State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Normal, Illinois, the large public school handed out 4,495 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $13,941 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Illinois State. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $23,209. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Illinois State accumulate an average of $19,765 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Illinois State. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 42% took at least some of their classes online.
Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #23 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This large public school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 8,676 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $9,992 in tuition and fees if they attend Purdue full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $28,794. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $18,439 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Purdue, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 49% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Carroll University landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and it awarded 641 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Carroll U is $36,190. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,306 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Carroll U. During the 2020-2021 year, about 26% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Concordia University, Chicago came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in River Forest, Illinois, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 329 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
Concordia University, Chicago does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $34,964. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,139 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Concordia University, Chicago does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2020-2021 about 69% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
View Best Bachelor’s Degree Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools Nationwide >
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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