Nursing Schools in Wisconsin: All 87 Approved Programs & NCLEX Pass Rates
Wisconsin has 51 schools running 87 board-approved nursing programs — 56 RN-track and 27 PN/LPN-track. The average 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across Wisconsin programs is 91%, 4.5 points above the national average of 86.5%. Every row below comes straight from the state board of nursing's published approved-program list — not self-reported school marketing.
Best Nursing Schools in Wisconsin by NCLEX Pass Rate
Top RN programs ranked by 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, among programs with a published 2025 rate. Rates are one year of data — check multi-year trends before deciding. 11 programs are tied at 100% — the first 10 are shown alphabetically.
- 1100%Waukesha · BS
- 2100%Waukesha · MSN
- 3100%Cleveland · ADN
- 4100%Watertown · BS
- 5100%Fond du Lac · BS
- 6100%Wausau · ADN
- 7100%Green Bay · BS
- 8100%LaCrosse · MSN
- 9100%
- 10100%
What Nursing School Costs in Wisconsin — and What Graduates Earn
Tuition, admissions and graduate-earnings figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, matched to 39 of 51 Wisconsin schools. Earnings are program-level — the median for graduates of that school's own nursing program, not all its alumni.
Median federal loan debt for BSN graduates in Wisconsin is $24,046 (20 programs). Sticker tuition is the whole school's published price, not the nursing program's alone, and it ignores aid — the number that decides whether a program pays off is what you actually pay plus the wages you give up while enrolled. Run your own numbers in the ROI calculator or read the full cost of becoming an RN.
Every Approved Nursing Program in Wisconsin
Sort by any column, filter RN vs PN/LPN, or search a school or city.
87 of 87 programs · “—” = not published for that program · tuition is the school’s published in-state price for one year, before aid; grad pay is the median for that program’s own graduates, one year out
| Alverno College | Milwaukee | BSRN | $34,086 | $72,005 | 91.8% |
| Alverno College | Milwaukee | DIRECT ENTRY MSNRN | $34,086 | — | 96.7% |
| Arizona College of Nursing - Madison*** | Madison | — | — | — | |
| Arizona College of Nursing - Milwaukee** | Milwaukee | — | — | — | |
| Bellin College of Nursing | Green Bay | BSRN | $30,952 | $66,723 | 97.8% |
| Blackhawk Technical College | Janesville | ADNRN | $4,267 | $69,492 | 97.8% |
| Blackhawk Technical College | Janesville | PNPN | $4,267 | $21,748 | 100% |
| Bryant and Stratton College | Milwaukee | ADNRN | — | — | 93.8% |
| Bryant and Stratton College | Milwaukee | BSRN | — | — | 88.2% |
| Bryant and Stratton College | Milwaukee | PNPN | — | — | 85.7% |
| Carroll University | Waukesha | ADNRN | $38,890 | — | 84.6% |
| Carroll University | Waukesha | BSRN | $38,890 | $74,323 | 100% |
| Carroll University | Waukesha | MSNRN | $38,890 | — | 100% |
| Carthage College | Kenosha | RN | $38,750 | — | 98.3% |
| Chippewa Valley Technical College | Eau Claire | ADNRN | $4,844 | $64,532 | 96.7% |
| Chippewa Valley Technical College | Eau Claire | PNPN | $4,844 | $37,386 | 98.8% |
| Chippewa Valley Technical College | Eau Claire | STANDALONE PNPN | $4,844 | $37,386 | 90.9% |
| Concordia University Wisconsin | Mequon | BSRN | $35,470 | $72,393 | 91.8% |
| Edgewood University | Madison | BSRN | $35,860 | $73,249 | 96.8% |
| Fox Valley Technical College | Appleton | ADNRN | $5,040 | $63,050 | 99% |
| Fox Valley Technical College | Appleton | PNPN | $5,040 | $38,540 | 100% |
| Fox Valley Technical College | Appleton | STAND ALONE (PN)PN | $5,040 | $38,540 | 100% |
| Gateway Technical College | Kenosha | ADNRN | $4,956 | $68,134 | 96.5% |
| Gateway Technical College | Kenosha | PNPN | $4,956 | — | 98.9% |
| Herzing University-Brookfield | Brookfield | BSRN | $13,450 | $75,774 | 90.7% |
| Herzing University-Brookfield | Brookfield | PNPN | $13,450 | $47,310 | 78.9% |
| Herzing University-Kenosha | Kenosha | BSRN | $13,450 | $75,774 | 89.2% |
| Herzing University-Kenosha | Kenosha | PNPN | $13,450 | $47,310 | 93.5% |
| Herzing University-Madison | Madison | ADNRN | $13,450 | $73,342 | 75% |
| Herzing University-Madison | Madison | BSRN | $13,450 | $75,774 | 92.8% |
| Herzing University-Madison | Madison | DIRECT ENTRY MSNRN | $13,450 | — | 87.6% |
| Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community University | Hayward | ADNRN | $6,030 | — | 35% |
| Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community University | Hayward | PNPN | $6,030 | — | 50% |
| Lakeland University | Plymouth | $33,396 | — | — | |
| Lakeshore Technical College | Cleveland | ADNRN | $4,844 | $61,635 | 100% |
| Lakeshore Technical College | Cleveland | PNPN | $4,844 | $39,553 | 100% |
| Lakeshore Technical College | Cleveland | PN STAND ALONEPN | $4,844 | $39,553 | 91.7% |
| Madison Area Technical College | Madison | ADNRN | $4,977 | $66,446 | 97.2% |
| Madison Area Technical College | Madison | PNPN | $4,977 | — | 98.6% |
| Madison Area Technical College | Madison | PN STAND ALONEPN | $4,977 | — | 100% |
| Maranatha Baptist University | Watertown | BSRN | $21,550 | $70,760 | 100% |
| Marian University | Fond du Lac | BSRN | $35,178 | $71,223 | 100% |
| Marquette University | Milwaukee | BSRN | $51,170 | $74,574 | 98.5% |
| Marquette University | Milwaukee | MSNRN | $51,170 | — | 93.4% |
| Mid-State Technical College | Wis. Rapids | ADNRN | $5,002 | $64,716 | 98.7% |
| Mid-State Technical College | Wis. Rapids | PNPN | $5,002 | $25,277 | 95.5% |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College | Milwaukee | ADNRN | $5,184 | $69,145 | 96.9% |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College | Milwaukee | PNPN | $5,184 | $36,583 | 91.1% |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College | Milwaukee | STAND ALONE (PN)PN | $5,184 | $36,583 | 92.5% |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering | Milwaukee | BSRN | $50,480 | $73,835 | 97.6% |
| Moraine Park Technical College | Fond du Lac | ADNRN | $4,819 | $66,776 | 96% |
| Moraine Park Technical College | Fond du Lac | PNPN | $4,819 | $24,954 | 100% |
| Mount Mary University | Milwaukee | BSNRN | $35,420 | — | 70% |
| Nicolet College | Rhinelander | ADNRN | — | — | 96% |
| Nicolet College | Rhinelander | PNPN | — | — | 100% |
| Northcentral Technical College | Wausau | ADNRN | $4,889 | $63,958 | 100% |
| Northcentral Technical College | Wausau | PNPN | $4,889 | $29,626 | 96% |
| Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay | ADNRN | $4,960 | $61,633 | 98.2% |
| Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay | PNPN | $4,960 | $42,721 | 97.5% |
| Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay | STAND ALONE (PN)PN | $4,960 | $42,721 | 97.1% |
| Northwood Technical College | Rice Lake | ADNRN | $4,926 | $64,281 | 98.3% |
| Northwood Technical College | Rice Lake | PNPN | $4,926 | $26,492 | 97.7% |
| Rasmussen University-Green Bay | Green Bay | ADNRN | — | — | 92.3% |
| Rasmussen University-Green Bay | Green Bay | BSRN | — | — | 100% |
| Rasmussen University-Wausau | Wausau | ADNRN | — | — | 94.1% |
| Rasmussen University-Wausau | Wausau | BSRN | — | — | 50% |
| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College | Fennimore | ADNRN | $4,904 | $61,748 | 97.1% |
| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College | Fennimore | PNPN | $4,904 | $22,853 | 100% |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Eau Claire | BSRN | $9,642 | $70,250 | 97.8% |
| University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | Green Bay | BSRN | $8,700 | $70,213 | 90% |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | Madison | BSRN | $11,603 | $75,513 | 97.6% |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Milwaukee | BSRN | $10,398 | $70,900 | 90.7% |
| University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Oshkosh | BSRN | $8,532 | $71,633 | 96.7% |
| University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | Stevens Pt. | $9,488 | — | — | |
| Viterbo University | LaCrosse | BSRN | $34,250 | $72,463 | 93.9% |
| Viterbo University | LaCrosse | MSNRN | $34,250 | — | 100% |
| Waukesha County Technical College | Pewaukee | ADNRN | $4,872 | $68,434 | 99% |
| Waukesha County Technical College | Pewaukee | PNPN | $4,872 | — | 100% |
| Western Technical College | LaCrosse | ADNRN | $4,820 | $64,274 | 94.4% |
| Western Technical College | LaCrosse | PNPN | $4,820 | $27,571 | 100% |
| Wi - Cardinal Stritch University - Bs | — | BSRN | — | — | 100% |
| Wi - Cardinal Stritch University - Ruth S. Coleman College of Nursingâ - ADN | — | ADNRN | — | — | 100% |
| Wi - Columbia College - Mt Mary College - Bs | — | BSRN | — | — | 0% |
| Wi - Herzing College - ADN | — | ADNRN | — | — | 66.7% |
| Wi - Herzing College - PN | — | PNPN | — | — | 100% |
| Wi - Holy Family College | — | RN | — | — | 100% |
| Wisconsin Lutheran College | Milwaukee | BSRN | $36,110 | $72,598 | 95% |
Whichever school you choose, the NCLEX is the finish line
The pass rates above are made by students, not buildings. Students who do well start NCLEX-style practice in their first semester — studying for class exams and the boards at the same time. NurseSavvy turns your own course materials into matched NCLEX practice questions from day one — free to try, then $19/mo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best nursing school in Wisconsin by NCLEX pass rate?
11 RN programs in Wisconsin tied for the highest 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate at 100%, including Carroll University in Waukesha — see the full ranked list above, among programs with a published 2025 rate on the state board's list.
How many nursing schools are in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has 51 schools offering 87 board-approved nursing programs: 56 RN-track (ADN/BSN and similar) and 27 PN/LPN-track programs, per the state board of nursing's current approved-program list.
What is the average NCLEX pass rate in Wisconsin?
Across Wisconsin RN programs with a published 2025 rate, the average first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is 91% — 4.5 points above the national average of 86.5%.
How much does nursing school cost in Wisconsin?
Across Wisconsin nursing schools we could match to U.S. Department of Education data, median published in-state tuition and fees run $4,969 a year at public schools (22 schools) and $35,178 at private nonprofits (17 schools). That is the whole institution's sticker price per year, before aid — an ADN takes about two years and a BSN four, and most students pay less than sticker. Per-school figures are in the table above.
What do nursing graduates in Wisconsin earn?
Federal earnings data tracks graduates of each specific nursing program. In Wisconsin, median earnings one year after finishing are $64,624 for ADN graduates (16 programs) and $72,463 for BSN graduates (21 programs). These are medians of program-level medians and the federal figures lag by a few years, so treat them as a floor for comparison between schools rather than a salary prediction.
What does a first-time NCLEX pass rate tell me about a school?
It is the share of a program’s graduates who passed the NCLEX on their first attempt — the single most comparable public outcome number nursing programs report. Boards of nursing track it for program approval, and consistently low rates can put a program on conditional status. Compare it alongside cost, location, and program length, not in isolation.
About this data
Program list and 2025 first-time NCLEX pass rates are taken directly from the Wisconsin board of nursing's published approved-program materials. “—” means the board did not publish a 2025 rate for that program (new programs, small cohorts, or PN lists without rate tables). Pass rates refresh annually; this page is rebuilt from the board lists when they update.
Tuition, admission rates, graduate earnings and debt come from the U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts, June 10 2026 data release), matched by school name and city to 39 of 51 Wisconsin schools. Schools the federal data does not cover — hospital-based programs and schools outside federal student-aid reporting — show “—” rather than an estimate. Tuition and admission rates describe the whole institution; earnings and debt are specific to its nursing programs, by credential, and lag the current graduating class by several years.
- collegescorecard.ed.gov — Most Recent Cohorts, June 10 2026 data release
- dsps.wi.gov — list: Roster Rev: 1/2/2026; rates: 2025 Wisconsin Annual NCLEX Pass Rate Report (CORRECTED, PDF created 6/4/2026, CY2025); report gives N(Delivered)/N(Passed) and does not label rates as first-time