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2023 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Nursing in the Great Lakes Region

72 Ranked Colleges
2,187 Degrees Awarded
$115,638 Avg Salary
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.

In 2021-2022, 319,502 nursing students received their degree, making the major the 3rd most popular in the country. In , nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $70,911 and had an average of $28,318 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 55,295 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $67,682 and $28,838 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,187 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $74,470 and $126,402 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 72 colleges that offered a degree in nursing. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their nursing program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major 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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region doctor’s degree nursing students.

Top 25 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Nursing in the Great Lakes Region

1
Rush University crest
Rush University
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rush University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Rush University is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 211 doctorate’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Nursing at Rush University

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Anthony College of Nursing. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region. Rockford, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s nursing degrees to 12 students in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nursing at SACN

3
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Lourdes University
Sylvania, Ohio

Out of the 72 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Lourdes University landed the #3 spot on the list. Sylvania, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s nursing degrees to 10 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at Lourdes

4

Out of the 72 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science landed the #4 spot on the list. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science is located in North Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 35 doctorate’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nursing at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Chamberlain University - Illinois. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Addison, Illinois, this large private for-profit school handed out 563 degrees to qualified doctorate’s nursing students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%.

Full Chamberlain University - Illinois Nursing Report

6
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Viterbo University
La Crosse, Wisconsin

Viterbo University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Viterbo is a small school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin that handed out 31 doctorate’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% 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 more about Nursing at Viterbo University

7

Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Peoria, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s nursing students in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 St. Francis Medical Center College of Nursing

8
Marian crest
Marian University
Indianapolis, Indiana

With a ranking of #8, Marian University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s nursing degrees to 34 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.

Full Marian Nursing Report

9
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Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois

With a ranking of #9, Millikin University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Millikin University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Decatur, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at Millikin

10
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Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bradley University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Peoria, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 42 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Nursing at Bradley University

11

Mount St. Joseph University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 degrees to qualified doctorate’s nursing students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at Mount St. Joseph University

12
St. Mary's College crest
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana

With a ranking of #12, Saint Mary’s College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. St. Mary’s College is located in Notre Dame, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 doctorate’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at St. Mary’s College

13

With a ranking of #13, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. SIUE is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 80 doctorate’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 more about Nursing at SIUE

14

University of Michigan - Flint ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Michigan - Flint is a public institution located in Flint, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 81 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Read more about Nursing at University of Michigan - Flint

15

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Oshkosh, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s nursing degrees to 57 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at UW Oshkosh

16
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McKendree University
Lebanon, Illinois

McKendree University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Lebanon, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 degrees to qualified doctorate’s nursing students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at McKendree University

17
Valpo crest
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana

Valparaiso University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Valparaiso University is a small school located in Valparaiso, Indiana that handed out 14 doctorate’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at Valpo

18

With a ranking of #18, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s nursing degrees to 133 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Nursing Report

19

University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of St. Francis Fort Wayne is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 doctorate’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Full University of St. Francis Fort Wayne Nursing Report

20
Goshen crest
Goshen College
Goshen, Indiana

Goshen College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #20. Goshen is a private not-for-profit institution located in Goshen, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 49 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate 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.

Full Goshen Nursing Report

21

Case Western Reserve University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s nursing degrees to 34 students in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Nursing at Case Western Reserve University

22

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. UWM is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 34 doctorate’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nursing at UWM

23
Oak Point crest
Oak Point University
Oak Brook, Illinois

Oak Point University ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Oak Point University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Oak Brook, Illinois. It awarded 2 doctorate’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Nursing at Oak Point University

24
Ashland crest
Ashland University
Ashland, Ohio

Ashland University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Ashland, Ohio, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at Ashland

25

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UW - Eau Claire is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 28 doctorate’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nursing at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

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