13 Best MSN Programs in Michigan – 2025


Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

Are you a nurse in Michigan hoping to unlock new nursing career opportunities? MSN programs in Michigan can help you become an expert in advanced clinical practice, executive nursing management, nursing education, and healthcare informatics. RNs with nursing master’s degrees make $117,610 a year on average. Many employment opportunities are already available to MSN-educated nurses in the Wolverine State, and that number is expected to rise by 41 percent over the next decade. You won’t have to give up your present job, either, or pull back on your personal commitments because many Master’s of Science in Nursing programs in Michigan are offered online. Find your nursing master’s program with this guide to the 13 best MSN programs in Michigan.


WHAT ARE THE BEST MSN PROGRAMS IN MICHIGAN (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2025?

Based on our Ranking Methodology, listed below are the 13 Best Master of Science in Nursing Programs in Michigan (Online & Campus) for 2025.

1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse-Midwifery, Nurse-Midwifery/Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner, and Leadership-Analytics & Innovation

Program Details: With five NP pathways, one joint NP track, and one non-clinical administrative track, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor’s MSN program is frequently cited as one of the best MSN programs in Michigan. The PCPNP track is entirely online except for clinical rotations, while the Leadership-Analytics & Innovation, AGACNP, Nurse-Midwifery, and joint Nurse-Midwifery/PCFNP pathways are taught on the university’s campus in Ann Arbor (though some core classes are delivered online.) You can choose between a classroom or an online option if you enroll in the AGPCNP or PCFNP specialty.

The AGACNP pathway involves 47 credits and 504 clinical hours, while the AGPCNP pathway entails 49 credits and 504 clinical hours. To complete the PCPNP specialization, you must take 44 credits and a minimum of 224 clinical hours. Students enrolled in the PCFNP program must finish 55 credits and 560 clinical hours.

The Nurse-Midwifery concentration requires 47 to 48 credits and 768 clinical hours. If you’re pursuing joint certification as a PCFNP and a Nurse-Midwife, you must take 77 to 78 credits and complete enough clinical hours to prepare you for a rigorous scope of practice. To graduate from the Leadership-Analytics & Innovation track, you’ll need 34 credits.

All tracks except for the joint Nurse-Midwifery/FNP track can be pursued full-time (two years) or part-time (three years.) This MSN program in Michigan works with more than 600 clinical partners to provide high-quality patient care experiences. Classroom students will complete clinical rotations at medical centers like the Ann Arbor VA Medical Center or University of Michigan Health Center affiliates, while distance learning students will pursue preceptorships at healthcare facilities close to their homes.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

U.S. News & World Report rates UM-Ann Arbor’s MSN program the seventh best in the nation.
• University of Michigan-Ann Arbor’s APRN specialties also rank high on U.S. News & World Report’s list. Its PCFNP pathway is considered the sixth best in the U.S., its AGACNP pathway is the seventh best, and its AGPCNP pathway is the eighth best.


2. Michigan State University - East Lansing


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Nurse Practitioner(Adult Gerontology Primary Care, Family, & Psychiatric Mental Health) and Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist

Program Details: Michigan State University’s MSN program offers four APRN specialties for students interested in practicing primary care at the community level. The AGPCNP, FNP, and PMHNP pathways each entail 54 credits and 630 clinical hours; the AG Clinical Nurse Specialist track requires 54 credits and 450 clinical hours.

All four pathways share a common nursing core curriculum that includes classes like “Scientific Foundations for the Advanced Practice Nurse,” “Leadership in Complex Health Systems,” and “Advanced Physical Assessment.” Coursework is primarily online. AG Clinical Nurse Specialist specialization courses are 100 percent online, while NP students only have to come to East Lansing for four or five days every semester to participate in seminars, simulations, and exams.

This MSN program in Michigan accepts a new cohort each fall. Full-time students can graduate in two years, while part-time students can graduate in three. If you live outside Michigan, you’ll be able to do your clinical rotations in your own state. Michigan-based students complete preceptorships at healthcare facilities like Sparrow Medical Center, McLaren Greater Lansing, and St. John’s Hospital and Medical Center as well as smaller clinics and community agencies.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• 100 percent of Michigan State University’s NP and Clinical Nurse Specialist graduates pass their APRN certification exams on the first try.
• 100 percent of MSU’s AGPCNP grads and 93 percent of FNP grads find employment in their specialty within one year of graduation.


3. Wayne State University - Detroit


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care (PNP-AC), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care (PNP-PC),Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), and Advanced Public Health Nursing (APHN)

Program Details: If you’re interested in practicing healthcare in an urban setting, Wayne State University, located in the heart of gritty Detroit, may be one of the best MSN programs in Michigan for you. All five of its MSN concentrations focus on preparing nurses to help confront the healthcare challenges found among urban populations.

The NNP, PACNP, and PPCNP specialties each require 47 credits, 18 to 24 of which comprise practicum nursing experiences. The PMHNP course sequence consists of 52 credits and 675 clinical hours. The 33-credit APHN pathway has an 18-credit practicum requirement. Foundational MSN nursing courses include “Leadership in Health Policy, Ethics and Change,” “Population Health,” and “Evidence-Based Nursing Practice: Theoretical & Methodological Issues.”

Although this MSN program in Michigan is primarily a classroom program, it does offer a synchronous distance learning option for Michigan students who live outside the Detroit metro area or who reside in parts of northern Ohio. Distance learning students may be required to travel to campus occasionally. As a student enrolled in Wayne State University’s MSN program, you’ll pursue clinical experiences at healthcare facilities such as Henry Ford Hospital, Trinity Health Livonia Hospital, and Detroit Receiving Hospital.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Students enrolled in Wayne State University’s Advanced Public Health Nursing concentration also have the option to earn a graduate certificate in Public Health Practice.
• Wayne State University’s MSN program has a very diverse enrollment: Almost 40 percent of its student body are minorities.


4. Oakland University - Rochester


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Nurse Practitioner(Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care, Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care, & Family Nurse Practitioner),Clinical Nurse Leader, and Forensic Nursing

Program Details: Oakland University’s MSN program features five clinical specializations. The AGPCNP and FNP pathways both involve 47 credits, while the AGACNP track entails 48 credits. For the Clinical Nurse Leader track, you must complete 36 credits. Graduation from the Forensic Nursing track requires the completion of 38 credits. All five concentrations involve a minimum of 500 clinical hours. All specializations except for the online Clinical Nurse Leadership track are taught at Oakland University’s campus in Rochester.

Core nursing coursework includes classes like “Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan,” “Theory and Translation Research for Advanced Nursing Practice,” and “Introduction to Nursing Scholarship.” Oakland University partners with Corewell Health, so you’ll do clinical rotations at medical facilities like Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Corewell Health Troy Hospital, and Corewell Health Grosse Pointe Hospital. Since practicums involve healthcare facilities in Michigan, Oakland University is one of the MSN programs in Michigan that require all applicants to hold Michigan RN licensure.

The three NP pathways and the Forensic Nursing track accept new cohorts each fall; the FNP track also accepts new students in the spring and fall.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Oakland University’s Clinical Nurse Leadership track is Michigan's only online CNL MSN program.
• This MSN program in Michigan uses the Moodle educational platform to facilitate learning.


5. Madonna University - Livonia


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner / Family Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP/FNP), and Nursing Administration & Leadership

Program Details: Madonna University features four different MSN programs to help you level up your professional nursing skills. The 46-credit (600 clinical hours) AGACNP track will prepare you to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Commission (ANCC) or the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) certification examinations. The FNP track is 50 credits and 600 clinical hours.

The dual AGACNP/FNP concentration is a rigorous 58- to 61-credit track that requires a minimum of 960 hours of supervised patient care. This MSN program in Michigan also provides a non-clinical Nursing Administration & Leadership track for which you must complete 40 credits and 420 practicum hours.

The three NP specialties offer a mix of on-campus, online, and hybrid course delivery. The Nursing Administration & Leadership track, however, is provided entirely online though you’ll have to participate in face-to-face practicum experiences. You’ll take foundational nursing courses such as “Scientific Foundations Informing the Advanced Practice Role,” “Health Policy Analysis and Advocacy,” and “Organizational & System Leadership.”

Madonna University maintains close clinical partnerships with healthcare facilities associated with Ascension Michigan, a nonprofit Catholic healthcare that operates throughout the Wolverine State, so you can expect to complete clinical rotations at Ascension-affiliated hospitals and clinics. MSN classes at Madonna University begin each fall.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Interested in combining nursing leadership with business acumen? Madonna offers dual MSN/Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) degrees for students in its Nursing Administration & Leadership track.
• The AGACNP track offers an advanced Hospice and Palliative Care subspecialty.
• Though Madonna University is a Franciscan Catholic learning institution, Catholic principles aren’t part of its nursing curriculum, and the university welcomes students of all faith backgrounds.


6. Ferris State University - Big Rapids


Programs Offered: RN-to-MSN and MSN

RN-to-MSN Specialties Offered: Nursing Education, Nursing Informatics, and Nursing Administration

MSN Specialties Offered: Nursing Education, Nursing Informatics, and Nursing Administration

RN-to-MSN Program Details: To be accepted into Ferris State University’s RN-to-MSN bridge program, you must first be accepted into the university’s RN-to-BSN completion program. Once you’re enrolled, let your advisor know you’re interested in the MSN track and apply during the last semester of the RN-to-BSN program. FSU prefers to admit students with two or more years of professional experience into this bridge program.

You’ll need to complete 21 credits of nursing classes, including courses like “Professional Nursing Skill Development,” “Evidence based Health Care,” and “Leadership in Nursing”, as well as 37 credits of general education classes before you can transition into the traditional nursing master’s curriculum.


MSN Program Details: Ferris State University offers three non-clinical concentrations as part of its MSN program in Michigan. The university’s Nursing Education, Nursing Informatics, and Nursing Administration tracks each comprise 37 credits and 270 practicum hours. Core nursing courses include “Introduction to Advanced Nursing Roles,” “Organizational and Systems Leadership,” and “Quality Improvement and Safety.” Two of your practicums will be capstone courses that require you to apply the knowledge you’ve attained in didactic classes to real-life situations.

Ferris State University is another one of the MSN programs in Michigan whose nursing master’s track is offered online, apart from practicums. (Note, however, that the Nursing Informatics pathway requires several face-to-face meetings on Saturdays.) The program uses the Canvas learning platform, an asynchronous technology that will allow you to access course materials 24/7 so that you can learn at your own pace, accommodating whatever other commitments you may have.

You can start this MSN program in the spring, summer, or fall. Between online coursework, reading, research, and projects, plan on spending 10 to 15 hours a week on your studies.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Ferris State University accepts 60 MSN students every year.
• Most Ferris State University MSN students pursue the nursing master’s curriculum part-time, taking one or two courses per eight-week term.


7. Western Michigan University - Kalamazoo


Programs Offered: RN-to-MSN and MSN

RN-to-MSN Specialties Offered: Addiction and Nurse Educator

MSN Specialties Offered: Addiction and Nurse Educator

RN-to-MSN Program Details: Western Michigan University doesn’t have a discrete RN-to-BSN program as such. Instead, from time to time, the university may admit RN applicants with associate nursing degrees or hospital diplomas into its traditional MSN program, so long as candidates have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field.

After you are provisionally accepted into the MSN program, you must complete undergraduate coursework in statistics as well as three nursing classes: “Transition to Professional Nursing,” “Nursing Research,” and “Health Informatics.” Courses are delivered using a distance learning platform. You’ll join the traditional MSN cohort once you pass these courses successfully with the required grade.


MSN Program Details: Western Michigan University’s online MSN program is tailored to meet the needs of working RNs. This MSN program in Michigan offers two concentrations: Addiction and Nurse Educator. Except for practicums, you can pursue this course of study online. WMU will work hard to find students practicum placements close to where they live. Students who live closer to the university can complete their clinical experiences at healthcare facilities associated with Ascension Borgess and Bronson Healthcare in Kalamazoo and other parts of Michigan.

It will take you six semesters to graduate from WMU’s MSN program. Courses begin in the fall semester.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Western Michigan University will only teach its MSN program in any given year if it accepts a minimum number of students into its MSN cohort. If that minimum number is unmet, you will be conditionally accepted into the following year’s fall cohort.
• The American Holistic Nursing Certification Corporation has recognized WMU's MSN and other nursing programs for their outstanding holistic, integrative approach to nursing education.


8. Grand Valley State University - Grand Rapids


Programs Offered: MSN

Program Details: A generalist nursing master’s degree, like the one provided by Grand Valley State University, will prepare you to be a leader in the nursing profession and qualify you to pursue APRN certificates or enter a DNP degree program. GVSU’s 33- to 36-credit MSN program uses a hybrid format: Most of your coursework will be accessible online, but you will visit the university’s campus in Grand Rapids approximately once each month for face-to-face classroom time. This MSN program in Michigan can be completed in five semesters (one and a half years.)

Course semesters last 15 weeks. In your first year, you’ll take courses like “Advanced Human Sciences: Clinical Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, and Advanced Assessment,” “Adult Learning Principles for Health Professionals,” and “Health Issues in Vulnerable Populations.” Your second year will be devoted to clinical rotations at the Spectrum Health Complex, right down the street from GVSU’s Kirkhof College of Nursing, which houses healthcare facilities like Butterworth Hospital, Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center, and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, so you’ll need a Michigan RN license to enroll in this program.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Grand Valley State University’s MSN program uses the Blackboard learning management system, which allows students to interact with instructors and fellow students as well as to access courses and supporting content.
• One of the reasons why this is one of the better MSN programs in Michigan for working RNs is that it allows you to customize your study plan: You can be a full-time student one semester and a part-time student the following semester if you like.


9. Saginaw Valley State University - University Center


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Nurse Educator, Nurse Administrator, and Dual Nurse Education/Nurse Administrator

Program Details: Saginaw Valley State University offers two non-clinical MSN tracks and one dual non-clinical MSN track. The Nurse Educator and Nurse Administrator tracks both entail 37 credits, while the dual Nurse Educator/Nurse Administrator track requires 46 credits. All three pathways entail a practicum at one of the 75 healthcare agencies throughout Michigan with which SVSU partners for clinical placements.

Core nursing coursework for this MSN program in Michigan includes classes like “Policy & Leadership,” “Nursing Theory & Knowledge Development,” and “Pathophysiology & Pharmacology.” The program is primarily online except for clinical placements, although a few classes may require up to three classroom meetings. SVSU accepts new cohorts into its MSN tracks in the fall and winter semesters, and you’ll be able to graduate in two years.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Saginaw Valley State University offers the lowest tuition of any MSN program in Michigan.
• When courses do require face-to-face classes, those classes are scheduled in the evenings, either 4 to 7 p.m. or 7 to 10 p.m., to accommodate the needs of working students.


10. Eastern Michigan University - Ypsilanti


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Education, Clinical Research Nursing, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, and Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist

MSN Program Details: As an MSN student at Eastern Michigan University, you’ll have the opportunity to choose between three APRN and two non-clinical specialties. Enrolling in either the Primary Care FNP or AGPCNP pathways will require you to complete 49 to 52 credits and a minimum of 750 clinical hours.

You’ll need to complete 45 credits and 450 clinical hours to graduate as an Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist. The Nursing Education concentration requires 180 hours of clinical experience in adult gerontology in addition to 38 course credits and a healthcare teaching practicum, while the Clinical Research Nursing concentration requires 35 course credits, a precepted experience in clinical trial management, and a field experience.

All five MSN specialties share a common coursework core that includes classes like “Health Status Trends and Health Care Delivery Systems” and “Nursing Theory for Practice and Research.” Though the Nurse Educator track is offered completely online (except for its practicum), the other four specialties are classroom-based. You’ll participate in clinical rotations at some of eastern Michigan’s finest healthcare facilities, including hospitals associated with the University of Michigan Health System and Henry Ford Health System.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• This MSN program in Michigan participates in the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, which offers student loan forgiveness for students graduating from the Nurse Educator track.
• If you take two to three classes a semester over six semesters, you can graduate from any of Eastern Michigan University’s five MSN concentrations in two years.


11. Spring Arbor University - Spring Arbor


Programs Offered: RN-to-MSN and MSN

RN-to-MSN Specialties Offered: Nurse Educator and Nurse Practitioner(Psychiatric Mental Health, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care, Family, & Pediatric)

MSN Specialties Offered: Nurse Educator and Nurse Practitioner(Psychiatric Mental Health, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care, Family, & Pediatric)

RN-to-MSN Program Details: Spring Arbor University is another one of the MSN programs in Michigan that offers RNs with ADNs or hospital diplomas a seamless way to advance their professional skills. The university’s RN-to-MSN track is a four-year program with five specialization options: FNP, PMHNP, PNP, and AGPCNP tracks, each entailing 82 credits and 570 clinical hours, and a 38-credit (125 clinical hours) Nurse Educator pathway. Except for clinical rotations and one three-day campus residency during the third year of the four-year program, this RN-to-MSN program is completely online.

Spring Arbor’s asynchronous course delivery technology makes it easy for working RNs to manage existing obligations and study on their own schedule. This RN-to-MSN program accepts new cohorts four times each year. From the start of the program to graduation, it should take four years.


MSN Program Details: Spring Arbor University also offers its FNP, PMHNP, PNP, AGPCNP, and Nurse Educator concentrations as part of its traditional MSN program. Each specialization, apart from clinical experiences, is accessible online via asynchronous technology.

The FNP track requires 52 credits and 625 clinical hours, while the PMHNP and PNP tracks comprise 50 credits and 570 clinical hours. To attain your PNP degree, you'll need to finish 47 credits and accumulate 570 hours of clinical training. The Nurse Educator track involves 38 credits and 125 clinical hours. Except for the FNP track, all specialties require a three-day campus residency in Year 2.

This MSN program in Michigan accepts new students in August, October, November, February, April, and June. The FNP pathway takes 30 months (two and a half years) to complete, while the other specializations can be completed in as few as 24 months. You’ll be able to complete your clinical rotations at a local healthcare facility, and Spring Arbor’s supportive staff will help you find preceptors and clinical sites that are a good match.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Spring Arbor University is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church. It’s an evangelical university, so you can expect Christian precepts and values to be reflected in the education it delivers students.
• This MSN program in Michigan uses a unique 7-1-7 model: You’ll take one seven-week course at a time and then get to take a whole week off before embarking upon another seven-week course.
• Spring Arbor University offers a dual MSN/MBA degree option.


12. Davenport University - Grand Rapids


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Nurse Educator, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Program Details: With Davenport University’s MSN program, students can choose from a 37-credit Nurse Educator Track, a 45-credit Family Nurse Practitioner track, or a 47-credit Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track. All three MSN concentrations are 100 percent online except for clinical and practicum experiences. Full-time students can complete the Nurse Educator and FNP tracks in just under two years and the PMHNP track in a little over two years, but you can also pursue these programs part-time if you prefer. All three tracks begin in the fall semester.

Core nursing courses associated with this MSN program in Michigan include “Transforming Nursing Practice Role through Leadership, Policy and Advocacy,” “Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing,” and “Advanced Health Assessment.” The program culminates with your choice of either a special research project or a master’s thesis. You can complete your clinical rotations in your own geographical location.”


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Davenport University also offers a one-and-a-half year 37-credit MSN generalist track for students interested in qualifying to take APRN certificates or apply to a DNP program.
• Davenport University’s online learning platform, Global Campus, was the first distance learning system in the state of Michigan.


13. Northern Michigan University - Marquette


Programs Offered: MSN

MSN Specialties Offered: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Program Details: Northern Michigan University offers a 45-credit Family Nurse Practitioner track that includes 750 hours of supervised direct patient care. NMU’s FNP pathway is a hybrid track with mostly online coursework, though you may have to visit the university’s campus in Marquette occasionally. You’ll take classes like “Analytic Approaches for Advanced Nursing Practice,” “Health Policy and Advocacy for Improving Rural and Population Health,” and “Theoretical and Scientific Foundations for Evidence-Based Practice.” This MSN program in Michigan allows you to complete your practicum experiences in your own community so long as the university approves your preceptor. Courses begin in the fall, and full-time students can graduate in just two and a half years.


Must-Know Highlights For Potential Students

• Northern Michigan University is affiliated with Global University, meaning out-of-state students will pay the same tuition as Michigan residents.
• As a condition of graduation, throughout their time in the program, students must complete two scholarly papers and successfully pass three comprehensive standardized exams.


VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY


Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Pattie Trumble is a nurse who worked in both California and New York for many years as an emergency room nurse. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing. After 10 years of providing direct care, she went back to school and earned concurrent Master’s degrees in both public policy and public health from the University of California, Berkeley. Thereafter, she worked for various public health agencies in California at both the community and state levels providing economic and legislative analysis.


Best MSN Programs in Other States



Popular Related Articles