by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
With 322,592 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, nursing is the 3rd most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $70,916 and had an average of $25,426 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 57,106 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $67,647 and $27,241 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 10,145 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,892 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 104 colleges that offered a degree in nursing. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in nursing.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree nursing students.
Out of the 104 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Spring Arbor University landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Spring Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 381 masters’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Chamberlain University - Illinois. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region. Addison, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 3,923 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 104 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing landed the #3 spot on the list. Peoria, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 43 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Nursing at Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Herzing University - Madison. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Herzing University - Madison is a private not-for-profit institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 197 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out of the 104 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Rush University landed the #5 spot on the list. Rush University is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 175 masters’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Mount Carmel College of Nursing did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. Mount Carmel College of Nursing is a small school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 63 masters’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Rock Island, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 11 diplomas to qualified masters’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Nursing at Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Ursuline College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Pepper Pike, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 42 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Mount St. Joseph University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Mount St. Joseph University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 54 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Alverno College ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 55 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Bellin College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bellin College is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global is a private not-for-profit institution located in Marion, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 312 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing at Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global
Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Quincy, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Nursing at Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Otterbein University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Westerville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 55 diplomas to qualified masters’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Goshen College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Goshen, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Benedictine University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Benedictine U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lisle, Illinois. It awarded 138 masters’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
St. John’s College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Marquette University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #18. Marquette is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 250 masters’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Olivet Nazarene University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bourbonnais, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 85 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Walsh University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #20. Walsh University is located in North Canton, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 48 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Bradley University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Bradley University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Peoria, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 94 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Lewis University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Romeoville, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 104 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Madonna University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Livonia, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 59 students in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #24, University of St Francis did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Joliet, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 56 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Marian University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Marian University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. It awarded 19 masters’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
