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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Nursing in the Great Lakes Region

139 Ranked Colleges
12,770 Degrees Awarded
$7,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 313,362 nursing students received their degree, making the major the 3rd most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $67,065 and had an average of $26,282 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 55,907 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $64,221 and $26,091 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 12,770 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,508 and $17,812 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 139 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in nursing. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great nursing programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the nursing program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region.

Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Nursing in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Madison Area Technical College

Madison, Wisconsin

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Madison Area Technical College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Madison College is a fairly large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 178 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Madison College, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Madison Area Technical College is $9,904 for great lakes region associate degree nursing students.

Read full report on Nursing at Madison College

#2

Joliet Junior College

Joliet, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Joliet Junior College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. Joliet Junior College is a public institution located in Joliet, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 157 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree nursing students list, Joliet Junior College has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Joliet Junior College is $4,693 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at Joliet Junior College

#3

Chippewa Valley Technical College

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Chippewa Valley Technical College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. Chippewa Valley Technical College is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 181 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree nursing students list, CVTC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $10,773 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students per year to attend CVTC.

Full CVTC Nursing Report

#4

Schoolcraft College

Livonia, Michigan
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Schoolcraft College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Livonia, Michigan, and it awarded 168 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Schoolcraft College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Schoolcraft College is $7,578 for great lakes region associate degree nursing students.

Full Schoolcraft College Nursing Report

#5

Rasmussen University - Illinois

Rockford, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rasmussen University - Illinois. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Rockford, Illinois, this small private for-profit school handed out 321 diplomas to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2019-2020.

Rasmussen University - Illinois did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Rasmussen University - Illinois is $18,744 for great lakes region associate degree nursing students.

Full Rasmussen University - Illinois Nursing Report

#6

Gateway Technical College

Kenosha, Wisconsin

Gateway Technical College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 140 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2019-2020.

Gateway Technical College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Gateway Technical College is $9,252 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Gateway Technical College Nursing Report

#7

Western Technical College

La Crosse, Wisconsin

Western Technical College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #7. This small school is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and it awarded 106 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Western Technical College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Technical College is $10,081 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Nursing at Western Technical College

#8

Elgin Community College

Elgin, Illinois

Elgin Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Elgin Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Elgin, Illinois. It awarded 99 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

ECC also made our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Elgin Community College is $4,185 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at Elgin Community College

Central Ohio Technical College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Newark, Ohio, and it awarded 215 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree nursing students list, COTC has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $9,612 for great lakes region associate degree nursing students per year to attend Central Ohio Technical College.

Full COTC Nursing Report

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #10. NWTC is a fairly large public school situated in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It awarded 219 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

NWTC also made our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $10,340 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students per year to attend NWTC.

Full Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Nursing Report

Cuyahoga Community College District landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Cuyahoga Community College District is a fairly large public school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 255 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Cuyahoga Community College District also took the #22 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cuyahoga Community College District is $5,415 for great lakes region associate degree nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at Cuyahoga Community College District

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this medium-sized public school handed out 112 diplomas to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cincinnati State, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is $5,469 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students.

Read full report on Nursing at Cincinnati State

#13

Owens Community College

Perrysburg, Ohio

Owens Community College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Perrysburg, Ohio, this medium-sized public school awarded 244 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2019-2020.

Owens State Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,323 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students per year to attend Owens State Community College.

Read more about Nursing at Owens Community College

#14

Northcentral Technical College

Wausau, Wisconsin

Northcentral Technical College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Wausau, Wisconsin, and it awarded 97 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for North Central Technical College is $10,131 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at Northcentral Technical College

#15

Ivy Tech Community College

Indianapolis, Indiana

With a ranking of #15, Ivy Tech Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Ivy Tech Community College is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,348 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ivy Tech Community College, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $6,919 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students per year to attend Ivy Tech Community College.

Full Ivy Tech Community College Nursing Report

#16

Oakton Community College

Des Plaines, Illinois

Oakton Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Des Plaines, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 88 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2019-2020.

Oakton Community College also took the #9 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oakton Community College is $6,141 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at Oakton Community College

#17

Milwaukee Area Technical College

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee Area Technical College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Milwaukee Area Technical College is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 104 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

MATC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend MATC is $9,076 for great lakes region associate degree nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at MATC

With a ranking of #18, Lorain County Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Elyria, Ohio, and it awarded 192 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Lorain County Community College is $3,204 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students.

Full Lorain County Community College Nursing Report

#19

Waubonsee Community College

Sugar Grove, Illinois

Waubonsee Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #19. Waubonsee Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Sugar Grove, Illinois. It awarded 88 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Waubonsee also made our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for Waubonsee Community College is $5,130 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at Waubonsee

#20

Moraine Valley Community College

Palos Hills, Illinois

Moraine Valley Community College landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Moraine Valley Community College is a fairly large school located in Palos Hills, Illinois that handed out 89 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Moraine Valley Community College is $2,422 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students.

Read full report on Nursing at Moraine Valley Community College

#20

Henry Ford College

Dearborn, Michigan

Henry Ford College landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Henry Ford College is a public institution located in Dearborn, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 202 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Henry Ford College is also in the top of our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Henry Ford College is $3,182 for great lakes region associate degree nursing students.

Read full report on Nursing at Henry Ford College

With a ranking of #22, City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 154 diplomas to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2019-2020.

Malcolm X College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College is $3,689 for great lakes region associate degree nursing students.

Full Malcolm X College Nursing Report

#23

Oakland Community College

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

With a ranking of #23, Oakland Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and it awarded 124 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Oakland Community College is $2,825 for great lakes region associate degree nursing students.

Full Oakland Community College Nursing Report

With a ranking of #24, Sinclair Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Sinclair Community College is located in Dayton, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 137 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $4,208 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students per year to attend Sinclair Community College.

Read full report on Nursing at Sinclair Community College

#25

Fox Valley Technical College

Appleton, Wisconsin

Fox Valley Technical College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Appleton, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school awarded 62 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,127 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Nursing students per year to attend Fox Valley Technical College.

Full Fox Valley Technical College Nursing Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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