How to Become a Registered Nurse in Michigan

Michigan map

Becoming a nurse is not easy since professionals have their hands in many different areas of medicine.

As a result, nurses need to graduate with extensive knowledge of the body and be able to diagnose and treat patients with various ailments.

This takes extensive training while requiring hard work and discipline.

However, graduates of an accredited nursing program are ready to become registered nurses in Michigan and have a lasting impact on physicians, patients, families, and other healthcare professionals while providing comprehensive health services.

Keep reading if this sounds like a profession you are interested in pursuing!

5 Registered Nurse Schools in Michigan

Andrews University

Andrews University Logo

Andrews University has several nursing programs, including the popular RN-to-BSN program, which allows students to continue their education within the nursing field.

In addition, Andrews features rolling admissions and has a fully online program.

Whether in-state or out-of-state, tuition costs $425 per credit hour, and the minimum program length is two years for the associate degree and four years for the bachelor’s degree.

Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley State University Logo

Students at Grand Valley State University can earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing by attending in-person classes.

The entire program can be completed with 136 credit hours.

Students start the program at the Allendale Campus and complete the upper-division curriculum at the Grand Rapids Medical Mile health campus.

Learners must also complete clinical rotations in specialty areas like mental health nursing and pediatric nursing.

At the beginning of the program, academic advisors provide relevant clinical practicums and program plans.

The annual tuition cost is $13,500 for in-state students and $19,200 for out-of-state learners.

Since this is a bachelor’s program, it takes four years to complete.

Michigan State University 

Michigan State University Logo

Considered the top nursing school in the state, Michigan State University offers students several nursing programs, including the standard Bachelor of Science in nursing.

Learners can also pursue an accelerated Bachelor of Science degree or RN-to-BSN degree for those starting in the associate program.

Regardless of the path, students must be enrolled full-time, and the entire associate can be completed in as quickly as a year and a half, with 765 clinical hours.

In-state tuition is $14,400 and out-of-state tuition is $20,100.

Northern Michigan University 

Northern Michigan University Logo

Founded in 1899, Northern Michigan University has over 170 academic programs, including 30 campus-based and online programs, such as the Master of Science in nursing.

This 45-credit hour curriculum utilizes the low-residency model, in which students complete most of their classes online with occasional campus visits.

In addition, learners complete clinical hours through a locally approved preceptor.

This program costs $612 per credit hour for in-state residents and $828 for out-of-staters.

The time commitment for this nursing program is around 2.5 years.

Saginaw Valley State University

Saginaw Valley State University Logo

As one of the top nursing schools in the state, Saginaw Valley State University offers a Bachelor of Science in nursing that prepares learners for the NCLEX-RN exam.

Students start the program with core classes and pre-nursing class requirements and then must apply for the upper-level nursing program.

Tuition runs in-state students $346 per credit hour and out-of-state students $832 per credit.

The time commitment for the entire program is a minimum of four years.

Registered Nurse Schools in Michigan – Summary Table

Top 5 Schools in Michigan

School NameAddress
Andrews University8975 Old 31, Berrien Springs, MI 49104
Grand Valley State University1 Campus Dr, Allendale, MI 49401
Michigan State UniversityMichigan
Northern Michigan University1401 Presque Isle Ave, Marquette, MI 49855
Saginaw Valley State University7400 Bay Rd, University Center, MI 48710

Salary

The nursing field is incredibly lucrative, with an average national salary of $82,900 and a range of $59,300 to $106,500.

The average Michigan salary is slightly higher at $84,300, ranging from $60,400 to $108,300.

Annual Salary Range:
$59K
$66K
$75K

Average Salary of Registered Nurse (RN)s in Michigan

City NameSalary
Detroit$67,540
Grand Rapids$64,400
Warren$67,540
Flint$61,900
Sterling Heights$67,330
Lansing$64,280
Ann Arbor$68,530
Livonia$67,330
Dearborn$67,540
Westland$67,770
* Salary information last updated 2024

Regional Salary in Michigan

RegionEmployedAvg. Annual SalaryAvg. Hourly PayTop 10% Annual SalaryBottom 10% Annual Salary
Ann Arbor, MI10,670$91,980$44.22$100,630$79,440
Battle Creek, MI1,630$86,730$41.7$111,010$65,600
Bay City, MI890$85,560$41.13$101,470$65,810
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI43,270$87,620$42.13$102,790$68,750
Flint, MI4,060$86,760$41.71$105,690$63,480
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI13,900$82,140$39.49$98,870$69,770
Jackson, MI1,220- NA -- NA -- NA -- NA -
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI3,570$84,230$40.5$99,190$69,230
Lansing-East Lansing, MI3,550$86,310$41.5$102,330$68,120
Midland, MI1,180- NA -- NA -- NA -- NA -
Monroe, MI720$88,280$42.44$99,320$63,590
Muskegon, MI1,370$81,150$39.02$87,210$64,420
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI1,370$85,310$41.01$98,320$64,810
Saginaw, MI2,710$89,180$42.88$104,850$71,040
* Salary information based on the May 2023 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Registered Nurses, OCC Code 29-1141, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a typical nursing program in Michigan?

The program will take around four years for those pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

However, many schools now offer a highly intensive accelerated program, which can be completed in around 15 months.

This program includes full 8 AM -5 PM days, five or six days per week, but if you can stick it out, you can get into the workforce quickly.

What are the primary subjects in Michigan nursing schools?

While nursing school requires a variety of subjects to learn and ace, the most common will be anatomy, chemistry, psychology, and physiology.

Unsurprisingly, this is the information you will use the most when treating patients and their ailments.

So, while the core classes are essential, these four areas of nursing are the most critical to ensure you’re prepared for real-life medical practices.

Does nursing school in Michigan require excellent math skills?

Although real-world nursing requires basic math skills, almost all programs necessitate one or more college-level math classes, like algebra.

Many programs are also beginning to add an introductory statistics course as well since data is becoming more critical to the nursing role.

Is the nursing school in Michigan difficult?

Nursing school is well-known for being notoriously difficult.

To get into a nursing program, you must have impressive scores in psychology, biology, chemistry, math, and other demanding subjects with a high GPA.

However, this difficult educational path will lead to a gratifying career helping others.

Can you study nursing online?

Within a nursing program, many core classes that only require in-class lectures can be taken online.

However, an entire clinical portion is meant to provide hands-on training, which must be completed in person.

A few schools offer fully online programs with a local doctor or nurse to fulfill the required clinical hours.

In addition, many post-graduate specialties and related education can be taken online, although some in-person requirements may exist.

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