Compare NCLEX pass rates, tuition, outcomes, and more for Green Bay's leading nursing programs.
Green Bay sustains its nursing workforce through two in-town entry points: Bellin College’s private BSN and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College’s public ADN, both anchored by clinical tie-ins with Bellin Health and HSHS St. Vincent Hospital. Bellin College offers a 15-month fast-track for second-degree students and posts a strong first-time NCLEX pass rate.
The main trade-off is speed versus cost. Bellin’s annual tuition exceeds $30,000, but the health system connection often smooths job placement; the technical college route costs about $5,000 per year in-district, yet requires a later RN-to-BSN bridge for many acute-care positions. In Green Bay, local hiring patterns favor clinicians who align their credential pathway with the region’s major employers.
This ranking evaluates nursing schools accessible to Green Bay students, weighing cost, outcomes, and institutional performance. Local programs are emphasized, but we also include statewide standouts that attract Green Bay-area learners. Each school profile includes tuition, net price, graduate debt, and earnings data to help you compare.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Bellin College | Green Bay, WI | ~$37,000/yr (est.) | Green Bay's only BSN program | |
Bellin College, located in Green Bay, is a private institution offering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a strong clinical focus within the Bellin Health system. The program is known for its high NCLEX-RN pass rates, extensive hands-on experience in local hospitals, and a 95% retention rate. Multiple pathways include a traditional three-year track, a transfer option, and a 15-month fast-track program for qualified applicants.
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| #2 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay, WI | $5,000 – $10,000/yr | Public ADN in Green Bay | |
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, based in Green Bay, provides an associate degree in nursing that blends classroom, lab, and clinical training to prepare students for the NCLEX-RN. The program is accredited by ACEN and boasts a high job placement rate, with over 90% of graduates employed within six months. As a public technical college, NWTC offers in-district tuition advantages for local residents.
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| #3 | Lakeshore Technical College | Cleveland, WI | $10,000/yr (net price) | Nearby affordable ADN | |
Lakeshore Technical College, situated along the Lake Michigan shore near Green Bay, offers an affordable associate degree in nursing with weekday clinicals at regional healthcare sites. The program has a history of strong NCLEX-RN pass rates and a total estimated cost of about $13,739. With a 7-term curriculum and priority enrollment for qualified applicants, Lakeshore is a practical choice for students in the broader Green Bay and Fox Valley areas.
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| #4 | Northwood Technical College | Rice Lake, WI | $5,000 – $10,000/yr | ||
Northwood Technical College, located in Rice Lake, offers multiple nursing pathways including an associate degree and an LPN-to-ADN bridge. The program is ACEN-accredited and delivers hybrid learning to accommodate working students. With a net price under $9,000 and median graduate debt of $8,250, it provides a low-cost entry to nursing, though located far from Green Bay.
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| #5 | Marquette University | Milwaukee, WI | ~$31,000/yr (est.) | ||
Marquette University in Milwaukee is a private Jesuit institution with a respected direct-entry BSN program and a high first-time NCLEX pass rate. Its four-year nursing curriculum integrates clinical experiences in diverse settings and offers honors and study-abroad opportunities. The university is often ranked among Wisconsin's top nursing schools and attracts students from across the state, including the Green Bay area.
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| #6 | Southwest Wisconsin Technical College | Fennimore, WI | $13,000/yr | ||
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore provides an associate degree nursing program with hybrid delivery and advanced simulation technology. The program requires 65 credits and has a strong NCLEX pass rate. It primarily serves the southwestern part of the state, making it a less common choice for Green Bay students unless they are open to relocation.
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| #7 | Moraine Park Technical College | Fond du Lac, WI | ~$9,000/yr (est.) | ||
Moraine Park Technical College, with its main campus in Fond du Lac, offers an associate degree in nursing that includes a practical nursing exit point. The program reports a 96% NCLEX pass rate and leads to both LPN and RN eligibility. Its location along the I-41 corridor makes it a possible option for some east-central Wisconsin residents, though it is outside the immediate Green Bay area.
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| #8 | Mid-State Technical College | Wisconsin Rapids, WI | $11,000/yr | ||
Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids delivers an ACEN-accredited associate degree nursing program in a hybrid format. The two-year curriculum emphasizes clinical practice and leadership, with a 100% NCLEX pass rate reported in recent years. The program serves central Wisconsin and is considered by some Green Bay-area students as an alternative with strong licensure exam results.
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| #9 | Milwaukee School of Engineering | Milwaukee, WI | ~$22,000/yr (est.) | ||
The Milwaukee School of Engineering offers both a traditional BSN and an accelerated second-degree track in nursing. The program integrates rigorous science and hands-on clinical training, with a 100% NCLEX pass rate on the accelerated option. MSOE's strong engineering focus and high graduate earnings attract career-changers from around the state.
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| #10 | Maranatha Baptist University | Watertown, WI | $26,000/yr | ||
Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown is a private Christian institution providing a CCNE-accredited BSN program that includes over 1,000 clinical hours. The nursing curriculum integrates a biblical worldview and has achieved a 100% NCLEX pass rate in statewide comparisons. It serves students seeking a faith-based education within Wisconsin.
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Green Bay offers two primary pathways to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing: a private program at Bellin College and a public option at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. The table below compares key metrics side by side to help you evaluate fit.
| School | Tuition (In-State) | Net Price | NCLEX Pass Rate (2024) | Program Length | Accreditation | Format | Special Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellin College | $30,658 | $37,408 | 97.10% | 48 months (traditional); 15 months (accelerated) | CCNE-accredited | Campus | Accelerated BSN (15-month), transfer option for RN-to-BSN |
| University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | Not available in internal data | Not available | 94-96% | 48 months | CCNE-accredited | Campus | Contact program for track options |
In Green Bay, the timeline to earn a BSN can be as short as 15 months for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field.
Bellin College’s traditional BSN program is designed as a full-time, on-campus pathway that takes 36 months (three years) to complete, beginning each fall. UW-Green Bay’s BSN program follows a more typical four-year structure, integrating general education requirements with nursing coursework over eight semesters. Both schools require applicants to meet specific admission criteria, and the overall length assumes no major interruptions or part-time enrollment.
For career changers, Bellin College offers a 15-month accelerated BSN option. This intensive pathway requires a prior bachelor’s degree and 56 specific prerequisite credits, which can add one or two semesters to the total timeline if not already completed. Bellin also provides transfer pathways: a 24-month junior transfer and a 36-month sophomore transfer, both delivered in a hybrid format. These options let students with prior college credits or an associate degree bypass some foundational coursework and enter the nursing sequence directly, shortening time to licensure.
Bellin College does not currently offer an RN-to-BSN program. However, registered nurses in the Green Bay area can complete an RN-to-BSN through online or hybrid programs at UW-Green Bay and other University of Wisconsin System schools. These programs typically take one to two years part-time, built around a working nurse’s schedule, and accept an associate degree in nursing with an unencumbered RN license. Coursework is often entirely online, with local clinical or project requirements.
The sticker price of a nursing program can be misleading because many students pay far less after financial aid. Below we compare published in-state and out-of-state tuition with the average net price at five regional schools, using data from IPEDS and the College Scorecard. Keep in mind that net price is an institution-wide average and individual costs vary.
NCLEX pass rates and graduate employment outcomes are the single most reliable indicators of a nursing program's quality in Green Bay. A high first-time pass rate tells you the program prepares students for licensure, while strong employment and wage data confirm graduates are valued in the local market.
Every Wisconsin nursing school must publish its NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates, typically on the program's 'Student Outcomes' or 'Accreditation' page. These rates offer a transparent view of how well a school's curriculum aligns with the licensure exam. When comparing programs, look for rates that consistently meet or exceed the Wisconsin state average. The Wisconsin Board of Nursing aggregates these figures, and you can also benchmark against the national average published in the NCSBN annual report. If a program's rate dips below 80% for multiple years, it may signal curriculum gaps or student support issues.
While national RN wage data provides context (the U.S. median for registered nurses was $93,600 in 2024), the figure that matters most is what you'll earn locally. Visit BLS.gov and search for SOC code 29-1141 within the Green Bay-Appleton, WI metropolitan area to see the most current median wage specific to the region. This number often differs from the national median because it reflects the local cost of living and demand. Strong wage data, combined with high employment levels in the metro, suggests that Green Bay nursing graduates have solid earning potential right after licensure.
For a fuller picture of graduate outcomes, reach out to the Wisconsin Nurses Association. They sometimes compile aggregated data on employment rates, practice settings, and career progression for new nurses in the state. Additionally, many Green Bay programs track their own alumni employment rates and may share those upon request. When evaluating schools, ask about career services, hospital partnerships, and alumni networks, all indicators of how well a program supports graduates after the NCLEX.
Bellin College's BSN program is directly integrated with Bellin Health, the region's largest employer and health system. This close tie ensures students access clinical rotations inside a comprehensive network that includes Bellin Hospital, Bellin Psychiatric Center, and specialty clinics. The arrangement gives aspiring nurses early exposure to real patient care under the mentorship of practicing professionals.
Beyond Bellin Health, nursing students in Green Bay typically train at multiple sites to gain broad experience. HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center offer acute-care placements, while Prevea Health extends opportunities in outpatient and specialty settings. UW-Green Bay's BSN program coordinates rotations across these systems, giving students diverse patient populations and care models.
Local BSN programs require hundreds of supervised clinical hours, commonly 600 to 900 across the curriculum.1 Bellin College's curriculum lists medical-surgical nursing as a core rotation2, and like most accredited programs, it also provides placements in obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatry, and community health. The exact hour breakdown varies by semester, but each rotation builds cumulative competency.
Exposure to varied patient ages, diagnoses, and care environments directly supports NCLEX success. The exam tests applied knowledge across the lifespan and care settings, so students who rotate through med-surg, OB, psych, and community sites build the flexible thinking needed to pass. Moreover, early career nurses benefit: those who have practiced in multiple specialties can more confidently choose their first job or adapt to new units later.
Prospective nursing students in Green Bay often have questions about program costs, rankings, and career outcomes. The answers below point to the most reliable sources for current data, so you can make informed decisions about your education.
With just two main BSN options in Green Bay, how do you decide between them?
Start by comparing NCLEX pass rates and net price, not just advertised tuition. Bellin College often reports higher first-time pass rates, but UW-Green Bay's public tuition can be lower after financial aid. Both offer strong clinical placements: Bellin through its health system and UW-Green Bay through regional partners, so limited seats mean applying early is essential. Choose the program that aligns with your budget and career goals, and submit your application well before deadlines.
