Best colleges for Registered Nursing in Wisconsin
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Marquette University and Carroll University are the top bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Wisconsin by graduate earnings. University of Wisconsin-Madison leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $75,513, College Scorecard. Marquette University, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Wisconsin: 391, 337 and 308 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 44 Wisconsin colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 5,498 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,513 | 271 | 90% | — | $25,000 |
| 2 | Marquette University Milwaukee Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,574 | 391 | 83% | $25,376 | $22,000 |
| 3 | Carroll University Waukesha Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,323 | 122 | 71% | $22,601 | $27,000 |
| 4 | Carthage College Kenosha Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,265 | 56 | 64% | $22,844 | $26,758 |
| 5 | Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,835 | 56 | 67% | $20,167 | $31,666 |
| 6 | Edgewood University Madison Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,249 | 176 | 60% | $23,822 | $27,000 |
| 7 | Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,598 | 20 | 64% | $19,138 | $27,000 |
| 8 | Viterbo University La Crosse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,463 | 186 | 68% | $20,655 | $29,013 |
| 9 | Concordia University - Wisconsin Mequon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,393 | 121 | 68% | $24,409 | $28,750 |
| 10 | Alverno College Milwaukee Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,005 | 161 | 49% | $17,221 | $34,000 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackhawk Technical College Janesville Public · Associate degree | $69,492 | 51 | 34% | — | $23,750 |
| 2 | Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee Public · Associate degree | $68,434 | 78 | 44% | — | $23,674 |
| 3 | Gateway Technical College Kenosha Public · Associate degree | $68,134 | 135 | 51% | — | $19,000 |
| 4 | Rasmussen University - Wisconsin Green Bay Private for-profit · Associate degree | $68,119 | 41 | 57% | $19,547 | $30,500 |
| 5 | Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac Public · Associate degree | $66,776 | 93 | 58% | — | $17,025 |
| 6 | Nicolet Area Technical College Rhinelander Public · Associate degree | $65,071 | 23 | 44% | — | $16,837 |
| 7 | Mid-State Technical College Wisconsin Rapids Public · Associate degree | $64,716 | 82 | 52% | — | $17,447 |
| 8 | Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire Public · Associate degree | $64,532 | 162 | 50% | — | $23,151 |
| 9 | Northwood Technical College Rice Lake Public · Associate degree | $64,281 | 57 | 56% | — | $17,499 |
| 10 | Western Technical College La Crosse Public · Associate degree | $64,274 | 84 | 34% | — | $19,937 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing degrees in Wisconsin
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marquette University Milwaukee Private not-for-profit | 391 | $74,574 |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh Public | 337 | $71,633 |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee Public | 308 | $70,900 |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Public | 271 | $75,513 |
| 5 | Viterbo University La Crosse Private not-for-profit | 186 | $72,463 |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Eau Claire Public | 186 | $70,250 |
| 7 | Edgewood University Madison Private not-for-profit | 176 | $73,249 |
| 8 | Alverno College Milwaukee Private not-for-profit | 161 | $72,005 |
| 9 | Carroll University Waukesha Private not-for-profit | 122 | $74,323 |
| 10 | Concordia University - Wisconsin Mequon Private not-for-profit | 121 | $72,393 |
ShowHide the other 34 Wisconsin colleges offering Registered Nursing
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in Wisconsin
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Wisconsin.
Which Wisconsin colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
Marquette University (391 graduates a year), University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (337 graduates a year) and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (308 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Wisconsin, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 44 Wisconsin colleges offer Registered Nursing.
What is the best college for Registered Nursing in Wisconsin?+
By graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Madison leads among bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Wisconsin, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $75,513, College Scorecard. Marquette University and Carroll University follow. By degrees awarded, Marquette University is the largest, with 391 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Registered Nursing program in Wisconsin has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Wisconsin-Madison tops the list at $75,513. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Registered Nurses earn in Wisconsin?+
The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Wisconsin is $94,690 (median $95,530), across about 68,060 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+
The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card