Best ADN Programs in Wisconsin, Ranked (2026)

Fox Valley Technical College's Nursing Associate Degree (AAS, 65 credits) is a Appleton-based program offered full-time or part-time through the Wisconsin Technical College System. Clinicals are in-person at area health facilities and cannot be completed remotely. CNA certification is required before entering core nursing courses, and Medical Assistants who graduated from an accredited program can apply for credit for prior learning in both Nursing Pharmacology and Nursing Intro to Clinical Practice, provided they have 2,000 employer-verified hours. Due to program demand, FVTC warns of an estimated 2-3 year wait after admission before starting core courses. The program is not accepting out-of-state applicants at this time.

Estimated total program cost runs $12,328 in tuition and fees plus $2,594 in materials and $1,370 in textbooks, anchored by the statewide Wisconsin technical college in-state rate of $4,485 per year. Admission requires a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher, OR an ACT composite of 18 or higher in English, Math, and Reading, OR a prior associate degree or higher, giving working adults multiple entry points. FVTC's 65% graduation rate is the strongest among Wisconsin ADN programs tracked in the Hakia dataset, earning it a Hakia Score of 92.4 and the top rank in this guide. Graduates sit for the NCLEX-RN, earning the same RN license as a four-year BSN graduate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median wage of $97,550 per year for registered nurses.

This program fits applicants who already hold CNA credentials or a Medical Assistant background and want the fastest and most affordable community-college route to RN licensure in the Fox Valley region. Plan for the waitlist by mapping out general education coursework with an academic advisor before core seats open.

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College offers a 69-credit Associate Degree in Nursing at four campuses: Green Bay, Marinette, Shawano, and Sturgeon Bay. The program is accredited by ACEN and prepares students for the NCLEX-RN through a combination of classroom instruction, simulation labs, and extensive in-person clinical rotations at area hospitals, extended-care facilities, and clinics, including the N.E.W. Clinic on NWTC's own campus. Licensed Practical Nurses receive advanced standing for all first-year nursing courses, effectively cutting a year off the program. Paramedics can apply prior education and work experience credit toward the degree. A part-time evening track at the Green Bay location runs over eight semesters including three summers, making it viable for working adults.

In-state tuition runs $4,485 per year at the Wisconsin technical college rate. The graduation rate is 51% and no admit rate data is published for this program. NWTC's own program outcomes page states that graduates score above the national NCLEX-RN average and that more than 90 percent of nursing graduates report RN employment within six months of graduation. Credits are structured for direct transfer into University of Wisconsin and private-college RN-to-BSN completion programs, making the ADN-first-then-BSN path straightforward. The Hakia Score of 89.6 ranks NWTC second among Wisconsin ADN programs. The national median wage for registered nurses is $97,550 per year according to the BLS.

NWTC is the strongest option for LPNs in northeastern Wisconsin who want a formal RN credential without repeating a full two-year program, and for working adults who need evening and weekend scheduling flexibility across multiple campuses.

Gateway Technical College's Nursing Associate Degree runs 66 credits across three campuses in Kenosha, Racine, and Elkhorn. Course sections are available throughout the day and week, and Gateway explicitly states that course schedules are offered without program-entry waitlists, a meaningful advantage in a field where two-to-three-year queues are common at peer programs. In-person clinicals are placed at area health care facilities. The program includes an LPN Bridge track and a Step-In program for currently licensed LPNs looking to advance to RN. International service-learning and study-abroad opportunities are built into the curriculum alongside involvement through the Student Nurses' Association and Nurse Christian Fellowship.

Estimated program tuition and fees total $12,551, with books and supplies adding $5,349, at the statewide Wisconsin technical college in-state rate of $4,485 per year. The graduation rate is 51% and no published admit rate is available. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN and earn the same RN license conferred to four-year BSN graduates. The Hakia Score of 89.4 places Gateway third in Wisconsin among ADN programs. The BLS reports a national median of $97,550 per year for registered nurses.

Gateway is the best choice in southeastern Wisconsin for applicants who need to start core nursing courses without a multi-year waitlist, for LPNs ready to bridge to RN, and for students who want campus flexibility across the Kenosha-Racine-Elkhorn corridor.

Chippewa Valley Technical College offers a 70-credit Associate Degree in Nursing delivered face-to-face at campuses in Eau Claire and River Falls, with start dates in August and January. The program carries an advanced placement entry option: students who completed a CNA or Practical Nursing (LPN) technical diploma at CVTC receive direct credit toward the nursing degree, shortening the path for those already working in healthcare. Clinical rotations are in-person at regional employers including Mayo Clinic Health System, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Aspirus, and Allina Health, providing early exposure to major regional health networks.

Estimated program costs total $15,173, broken out term by term, at the Wisconsin technical college in-state rate of $4,485 per year. CVTC's own graduate outcomes survey reports that 98% of recent nursing graduates found employment in the field and that the average starting salary was $66,374 per year. The program's 50% graduation rate and a Hakia Score of 88.1 rank it fourth among Wisconsin ADN programs in this guide. Graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam; the RN license earned is identical to that of a BSN graduate. The BLS national median for registered nurses is $97,550 per year, with starting wages in western Wisconsin market typically below that median as the graduate survey reflects.

CVTC fits CNA and LPN holders in the Chippewa Valley who want advanced placement credit and direct clinical access to the Mayo and Marshfield systems. Transfer agreements with multiple four-year institutions also make the ADN-to-BSN bridge step straightforward for graduates who want to pursue it later.

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore runs a 65-credit Associate Degree Nursing program that blends classroom discussion, independent learning, skills labs, and hands-on clinical rotations at area healthcare agencies. The curriculum spans adult, pediatric, and obstetric content, supported by high-fidelity simulators for each population. Clinical hours are in-person and mandatory; prelicensure nursing cannot be completed at a distance. A structured LPN-to-RN bridge track is open to Wisconsin residents and those in adjacent Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota counties: qualifying LPNs receive credit for all first-year coursework and enter second-year courses after passing a summer bridge course, provided their Nursing Pharmacology credit is no older than five years. Graduates sit for the NCLEX-RN, the same licensing exam taken by BSN graduates, earning an identical registered nurse license.

Southwest Tech posted a 66% graduation rate, the highest among the Wisconsin ADN programs in this ranking, and carries a Hakia Score of 85.3, the basis for its No. 5 position. In-state tuition runs $4,485 per year, well below the cost of a four-year BSN. The program does not publish a specific NCLEX pass rate on its program page, so no rate is cited here. The school notes that graduates can transfer into bachelor degree programs afterward, making the ADN-first, RN-to-BSN-later path explicit. BLS data puts the national median RN salary at $97,550, the same figure regardless of whether the degree is an ADN or a BSN.

Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids offers a 68-credit Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Nursing delivered in-person and hybrid across three campuses: Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield, and Stevens Point Downtown. Courses run in eight-week blocks for full-time students. The program combines classroom instruction, skills labs, and clinical rotations in the Healthcare Simulation Center alongside real healthcare facilities. Core clinical placements are hands-on and on-site; prelicensure nursing at Mid-State is not a distance program. Mid-State also maintains a transfer partnership with UW-Stevens Point for students who later pursue a BSN. A waitlist is in effect due to high demand, with priority determined by application date and Wisconsin residency. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN and earn the same registered nurse license as a four-year BSN graduate.

Mid-State's in-state tuition is $4,339 per year, the lowest of any program in this ranking. The school reports a graduation rate of 52% and holds a Hakia Score of 84.1, placing it sixth overall. The program page does not publish a specific NCLEX pass rate figure, so none is cited here. Mid-State does report that 1,980 recent Wisconsin graduates landed jobs within six months and that starting salaries averaged $86,030 (Lightcast data). The national BLS median for registered nurses is $97,550 annually. This program suits cost-focused students in central Wisconsin who want the state's most-recognized community-college RN program, with a clear pathway to continue to a BSN through the UW-Stevens Point partnership.

Northcentral Technical College in Wausau runs a 69-credit Associate Degree Nursing program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The program is headquartered at the Wausau campus (100% of courses available there) with 50-60% availability at Antigo, Medford, Phillips, Spencer, and Wittenberg campuses, making it the most geographically distributed nursing program in this ranking. A portion of coursework is available online, though clinical rotations and simulation labs are in-person requirements. NTC integrates AI-powered simulation and virtual reality into clinical training, letting students rehearse complex patient scenarios before live placement. The four-semester sequence covers fundamentals, pharmacology, health alterations across the lifespan, mental health, community concepts, and a nursing management capstone. Students who meet credit-for-prior-learning criteria may apply toward the 69-credit total. Graduates sit for the NCLEX-RN, earning the same registered nurse license as any four-year graduate.

NTC's in-state tuition is $4,485 per year, and total estimated program cost including books and supplies is approximately $15,995. The graduation rate stands at 45%, and the Hakia Score is 82.5, placing it seventh in the Wisconsin ADN ranking. The program page does not state a specific NCLEX pass rate, so none is cited here. The BLS national median RN salary is $97,550. This program fits students across a wide rural corridor of north-central Wisconsin who need campus proximity within driving distance and value the ACEN accreditation credential when applying to hospital employers or RN-to-BSN bridge programs later.

Waukesha County Technical College in Pewaukee offers a 65-credit Associate of Applied Science in Nursing built around eight-week course blocks for full-time students, with August and January start dates. The program is restricted to Wisconsin in-state residents. Admission follows a waitlist process: students apply as pre-core, complete an ATI TEAS exam (65% or higher), finish general studies prerequisites, and provide proof of a Nursing Assistant course before receiving a core seat. Active LPNs follow a separate LPN-to-RN bridge entry pathway. Core clinical rotations are mandatory and in-person; WCTC explicitly instructs transfer students that any prior nursing coursework must be completed within five years and that at least 25% of program credits must be earned at WCTC. Graduates sit for the NCLEX-RN and earn an identical registered nurse license to any BSN graduate. The program page links to current NCLEX pass rates but does not state a specific figure in the scraped text, so none is cited here.

In-state tuition is $4,485 per year. Additional program costs include an iPad ($399), ExamSoft ($500), Kaplan testing ($350), and immunizations (up to $900), so students should budget materially above base tuition. The graduation rate is 44%, and the Hakia Score of 81.8 places WCTC eighth in this Wisconsin ADN ranking. BLS median RN pay nationally is $97,550 per year regardless of degree level. This program suits Milwaukee-area students who already hold a Nursing Assistant credential, can meet the structured checklist timeline, and want a suburban community-college pathway to an RN license with lower tuition than any four-year option in the region.

Lakeshore Technical College's Associate Degree in Nursing runs 65 credits across 7 terms and is delivered entirely in person at the Cleveland, WI campus. Clinical rotations take place at real partner facilities, including the Froedtert and Medical College of Wisconsin Center for Health Care Excellence, and clinical courses run primarily weekday daytime hours. Students with prior healthcare credentials have two accelerated entry points: a Practical Nursing (LPN) to ADN track and an EMT-Paramedic to ADN track, both of which build on previous training rather than starting from scratch. The program carries ACEN Continuing Accreditation. Graduates who want to extend to a BSN can do so locally through the FORWARD partnership with UW-Green Bay.

In-state tuition is $4,485 per year, and the program publishes a total all-in cost of $13,143 covering tuition, books, and supplies. Lakeshore does not publish a single headline NCLEX pass rate, but the program page states graduates have exceeded both the Wisconsin state average and the national average on the NCLEX-RN every year since 2017. The reported graduation rate is 50%, and Lakeshore earned a Hakia Score of 80.6, placing it ninth among Wisconsin ADN programs. It fits prospective nurses who want a low-cost, community-college path with documented NCLEX performance, and who value direct-entry options for LPNs or paramedics already in the field.

Because clinical hours run Monday through Friday during the day, this program is best suited to students who can commit to full-time, in-person attendance. Admitted students should expect demand to outpace capacity in some semesters, triggering a waitlist process the college manages through its published admissions procedure.

Rasmussen University's Professional Nursing ADN is a hybrid program that combines online coursework with mandatory on-campus lab simulations and in-person clinical placements. The full program spans 102 credits and is designed to finish in as few as 21 months. Licensed practical nurses can enter the LPN-to-RN Bridge and complete in as few as 18 months. Rasmussen requires no prerequisite coursework for admission and charges no application fee; applicants must pass an entrance exam or hold a prior bachelor's degree with at least a 2.25 GPA. The Wisconsin location is in Green Bay, and the program holds ACEN accreditation. Eight annual start dates at most campuses mean a student who is ready today rarely waits more than a few weeks to begin.

As a private for-profit institution, Rasmussen carries a significantly higher price tag: tuition runs $453 per credit, putting total tuition for the 102-credit program at roughly $46,200. The published in-state tuition figure used in Hakia's ranking model is $13,929 per year. Rasmussen does not publish a program-level NCLEX-RN pass rate on its general program page, so prospective students should request campus-specific outcome data directly. The graduation rate is 57%, and the program earned a Hakia Score of 76.9, ranking tenth among Wisconsin ADN programs. It is the right fit for career-changers who need schedule flexibility and want to skip the prerequisite gauntlet, and who are willing to pay a premium for that speed and access.

Like every legitimate prelicensure ADN, Rasmussen's program requires hands-on clinical hours that cannot be completed remotely. ADN graduates sit for the same NCLEX-RN and hold the same RN license as a four-year BSN graduate. The common strategy applies here: earn the RN quickly through Rasmussen, enter the workforce, and complete an online RN-to-BSN while employed if a Magnet hospital or leadership track later requires it.