by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 37 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 2,185 doctor's degrees in nursing to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The nursing doctor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. 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.
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Doctor'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 doctorate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their doctor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for nursing students working on their doctor's degree.
When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list to help you make the college decision.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing.
Any student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in nursing needs to check out Case Western Reserve University. Located in the large city of Cleveland, Case Western is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from Case Western Reserve University
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a great option for students pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the city of Cincinnati, UC is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Doctorate recipients from the nursing degree program at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus make $31,947 above the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
It's difficult to beat University of Wisconsin - Madison if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in nursing. UW - Madison is a very large public university located in the city of Madison.More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of Wisconsin - Madison
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a good option for individuals interested in a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Loyola Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago.
Those nursing students who get their doctor's degree from Loyola University Chicago earn $7,569 more than the typical nursing graduate.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from Loyola University Chicago
Marquette is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Milwaukee.More information about a doctorate in nursing from Marquette University
Rush University is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago.
Students who graduate with their doctorate from the nursing program report average early career earnings of $119,538.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from Rush University
SIUE is a large public university located in the suburb of Edwardsville.
Doctorate recipients from the nursing major at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville get $23,369 above the average college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Michigan State is a very large public university located in the small city of East Lansing.More information about a doctorate in nursing from Michigan State University
Located in the small city of West Lafayette, Purdue is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from Purdue University - Main Campus
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.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Medicine | 4,798 |
| Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions | 2,227 |
| Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences | 2,002 |
| Dentistry | 1,011 |
| Optometry | 359 |
| Communication Sciences | 240 |
| Medical Science | 108 |
| Public Health | 99 |
| Chiropractic | 65 |
| Other Health Professions | 55 |
