by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 78 schools in the Great Lakes Region to determine which ones were the best for nursing students pursuing a master's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 9,041 master's degrees in nursing to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of nursing for getting your master's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we include a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for nursing students working on their master's degree.
The nursing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Nursing Master's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in nursing. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
It's difficult to beat University of Michigan - Ann Arbor if you want to pursue a master's degree in nursing. Located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public university with a very large student population.
After graduation, nursing master's recipients usually earn around $91,784 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in nursing from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
It is difficult to beat Case Western Reserve University if you want to pursue a master's degree in nursing. Located in the large city of Cleveland, Case Western is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
Master's recipients from the nursing major at Case Western Reserve University get $9,144 above the typical college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Case Western Reserve University
Every student who is interested in a master's degree in nursing needs to take a look at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus. Located in the large city of Cincinnati, UC is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the nursing program state that they receive average early career wages of $102,735.
More information about a master’s in nursing from University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
Every student who is interested in a master's degree in nursing needs to check out Marquette University. Marquette is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Milwaukee.
Students who graduate with their master's from the nursing program report average early career wages of $79,158.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Marquette University
Loyola Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago.
Nursing master's degree recipients from Loyola University Chicago receive an earnings boost of about $3,054 over the typical earnings of nursing majors.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Loyola University Chicago
Herzing University - Madison is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Madison.
After graduating, nursing master's recipients typically earn around $103,068 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Herzing University - MadisonLocated in the city of Columbus, Ohio State is a public university with a very large student population. Students who graduate with their master's from the nursing program state that they receive average early career income of $100,925. Located in the town of Athens, OHIO Athens is a public university with a fairly large student population. Master's graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program earn an average of $100,062 in their early career salary. IUPUI is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Indianapolis. Nursing master's degree recipients from Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis get an earnings boost of approximately $4,727 above the average income of nursing graduates. Located in the large city of Detroit, Wayne State is a public university with a fairly large student population. Those nursing students who get their master's degree from Wayne State University receive $22,281 more than the average nursing grad.7
236
Annual Graduates$100,925
Median Starting Salary8
167
Annual Graduates$100,062
Median Starting Salary9
122
Annual Graduates$110,592
Median Starting Salary10
39
Annual Graduates$128,146
Median Starting Salary
Purdue University Global is a very large public university located in the small city of West Lafayette.
Students who graduate with their master's from the nursing program state that they receive average early career income of $107,024.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Purdue University GlobalLocated in the large suburb of Kent, Kent State is a public university with a fairly large student population. Soon after graduation, nursing master's recipients generally earn around $95,690 in the first five years of their career. Located in the large suburb of Addison, Chamberlain - Illinois is a private for-profit university with a very large student population. Master's graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program make about $104,394 for their early career. Located in the city of Detroit, Detroit Mercy is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. Master's recipients from the nursing program at University of Detroit Mercy make $9,528 more than the standard college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue is a public university with a fairly large student population. Those nursing students who get their master's degree from Purdue University - Main Campus receive $4,501 more than the average nursing graduate.12
157
Annual Graduates$95,690
Median Starting Salary133,002
Annual Graduates$104,394
Median Starting Salary14
67
Annual Graduates$115,393
Median Starting Salary15
14
Annual Graduates$110,366
Median Starting Salary
Here are some additional great schools for Nursing students in the Great Lakes Region that almost earned our Best Nursing Master's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region award.Rank College Location 16 Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI 17 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL 18 Otterbein University Westerville, OH 19 Bradley University Peoria, IL 20 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 21 Concordia University, Wisconsin Mequon, WI 22 University of St Francis Joliet, IL 23 University of Toledo Toledo, OH 24 University of Southern Indiana Evansville, IN 25 Mount Carmel College of Nursing Columbus, OH 26 Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global Marion, IN
Explore the best nursing colleges for a specific state in the Great Lakes Region .
One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.
