NurseSavvy ranking · Wisconsin · updated October 10, 2026

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

We ranked all 51 RN programs in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin, and what graduates earn a year out.

Carroll University 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 Wisconsin’s 51 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 Wisconsin

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
Carroll University
WaukeshaBS· Private nonprofit
74score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 87 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100% of 87
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$15,193/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$74,323 1 yr out
2
University of Wisconsin-Madison
MadisonBS· Public
72score
A 97.6% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 207 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.6% of 207
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$17,354/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$75,513 1 yr out
3
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
OshkoshBS· Public
71score
A 96.7% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 244 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
96.7% of 244
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$14,305/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$71,633 1 yr out
4
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Eau ClaireBS· Public
70score
A 97.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 137 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.8% of 137
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$16,550/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$70,250 1 yr out
5
Moraine Park Technical College
Fond du LacADN· Public
70score
A 96% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 100 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
96% of 100
Students who finish
73% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$9,268/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$66,776 1 yr out
Start to license: 70 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
6
Milwaukee School of Engineering
MilwaukeeBS· Private nonprofit
67score
A 97.6% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 42 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.6% of 42
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$22,453/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$73,835 1 yr out
7
Marian University
Fond du LacBS· Private nonprofit
66score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 17 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100% of 17
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$21,937/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$71,223 1 yr out
8
Edgewood University
MadisonBS· Private nonprofit
65score
A 96.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 126 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
96.8% of 126
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$26,113/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$73,249 1 yr out
9
Milwaukee Area Technical College
MilwaukeeADN· Public
65score
A 96.9% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 97 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
96.9% of 97
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$9,112/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$69,145 1 yr out
10
Blackhawk Technical College
JanesvilleADN· Public
65score
A 97.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 46 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.8% of 46
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$9,330/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$69,492 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 87 approved programs in Wisconsin Full rankings table

The Wisconsin 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: Carroll University (BS), 100% first-time.
Most students finish: Moraine Park Technical College (ADN), 73% on time.
Lowest average net price: Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community University, $8,657/yr.
Highest graduates’ pay: Herzing University-Madison, $75,774 one year out.
Top ADN vs top BSN: Moraine Park Technical College (#5 overall) and Carroll University (#1 overall).

How we ranked Wisconsin’s nursing schools

NCLEX pass rate (33%). The 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rate from the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin’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 Wisconsin?

Under the NurseSavvy ranking, Carroll University (BS, Waukesha) ranks #1 of 51 RN programs in Wisconsin with a score of 74 out of 100 and a 100% 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.