NurseSavvy ranking · Michigan · updated October 10, 2026

Best Nursing Schools in Michigan (2026): The NurseSavvy Top 10

We ranked all 70 RN programs in Michigan that publish a first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, on the four things that decide whether a program gets you to a nursing license you can afford: passing the NCLEX, actually finishing, the cost next to what nurses earn in Michigan, and what graduates earn a year out.

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor comes out on top. Here are the top 10, with every number’s source — and you can re-rank them by what matters to you.

No school can pay for placement. Public data only — see the full methodology.

Rank it your way

Rank Michigan’s 70 RN programs on what matters to you

NCLEX pass rate, students who finish, cost vs nurse pay, grads’ early pay — compare in-state, by region, or nationwide.

The top 10 nursing programs in Michigan

Scores are out of 100 under the default NurseSavvy weights. A school with two programs (say, an ADN and a BSN) can appear twice.

1
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Ann ArborRegistered Nurse Programs - Baccalaureate Degree· Public
71score
A 94.6% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 167 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
94.6% of 167
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$13,138/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$75,458 1 yr out
2
University of Michigan - Flint
FlintRegistered Nurse Programs - Baccalaureate Degree· Public
70score
A 89.7% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 97 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
89.7% of 97
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$7,007/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$80,029 1 yr out
3
Saginaw Valley State
University CenterRegistered Nurse Programs - Baccalaureate Degree· Public
70score
A 92.9% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 98 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
92.9% of 98
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$10,775/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$76,244 1 yr out
4
University of Detroit-Mercy- Grand Rapids
Grand RapidsRegistered Nurse Programs - Baccalaureate Degree
67score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 24 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100% of 24
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
5
Baker College – Royal Oak
Royal OakRegistered Nurse Programs - Baccalaureate Degree· Private nonprofit
67score
A 97.9% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 47 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.9% of 47
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
6
Calvin University
Grand RapidsRegistered Nurse Programs - Baccalaureate Degree· Private nonprofit
66score
A 95.7% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 70 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
95.7% of 70
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$22,992/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$73,682 1 yr out
7
Mott Community College
FlintRegistered Nurse Programs - Associate Degree· Public
65score
A 93.9% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 99 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
93.9% of 99
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$5,687/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$73,034 1 yr out
8
Davenport University – Grand Rapids
Grand RapidsRegistered Nurse Programs - Baccalaureate Degree
65score
A 95.3% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 64 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
95.3% of 64
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
9
Delta College
University CenterRegistered Nurse Programs - Associate Degree· Public
65score
A 94.5% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 127 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
94.5% of 127
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$4,547/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$67,922 1 yr out
10
Montcalm Community College
SidneyRegistered Nurse Programs - Associate Degree· Public
65score
A 97.2% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 36 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.2% of 36
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$7,280/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$68,396 1 yr out

Fill-in: a figure the program hasn’t published is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs that publish it (same degree type) — not its own number.

All 111 approved programs in Michigan Full rankings table

The Michigan leaders on each measure

Different students weigh these differently — here is who leads on each one alone, among programs that publish it.

Highest NCLEX pass rate: Grand Rapids Community College (Registered Nurse Programs - Associate Degree), 100% first-time.
Most students finish: Muskegon Community College (Registered Nurse Programs - Associate Degree), 54% on time.
Lowest average net price: West Shore Community College, $1,527/yr.
Highest graduates’ pay: University of Michigan - Flint, $80,029 one year out.
Top ADN vs top BSN: Mott Community College (#7 overall) and University of Michigan – Ann Arbor (#1 overall).

How we ranked Michigan’s nursing schools

NCLEX pass rate (33%). The 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rate from the Michigan board of nursing, steadied for small cohorts.
Students who finish (33%). The program’s own on-time completion rate, where a board or the program publishes it.
Cost vs nurse pay (20%). Average net price per year next to Michigan’s median RN pay (College Scorecard + BLS).
Graduates’ early pay (14%). What the program’s nursing graduates earn one year out, next to the state’s RN median.

A missing figure is a labeled 33rd-percentile fill-in, never a guess. Programs without a published NCLEX rate, and direct-entry master’s programs, are not ranked. Every formula and source →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best nursing school in Michigan?

Under the NurseSavvy ranking, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor (Registered Nurse Programs - Baccalaureate Degree, Ann Arbor) ranks #1 of 70 RN programs in Michigan with a score of 71 out of 100 and a 94.6% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate. "Best" depends on what you weigh most — re-rank the list on this page by your own priorities.

How did NurseSavvy rank Michigan nursing schools?

Every RN program with a published 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is scored 0–100 on four public measures: NCLEX pass rate (33%), students who finish (33%), cost next to local RN pay (20%), and graduates’ pay one year out (14%). Pass rates come from the Michigan board of nursing; cost and pay from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

What does “fill-in” mean on this list?

When a program has not published a figure, we do not guess it. It is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs (same degree type) that do publish it — below typical — and labeled “fill-in” wherever it appears. Publishing its real number can only help a program that performs well.

Can a school pay to rank higher?

No. Schools cannot pay, partner, sponsor, or advertise their way to a better rank. Every input is public data, and the same formula applies to every program.