Like much of the USA, Michigan faces sustained demand for nurses driven by an aging population and a similarly aging healthcare workforce. The supply of newly trained nurses is constrained at the education end rather than by a lack of applicants: nursing schools are limited by clinical placement sites, faculty and classroom capacity. The scale of that bottleneck is national and well documented. In its 2025-2026 annual survey, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing reported that US nursing schools turned away 93,176 qualified applications in 2025, a record, citing insufficient clinical placement sites, faculty, preceptors and classroom space alongside budget cuts. Those applicants had already met grade, prerequisite and entrance-exam requirements.
Two year ADN programs are a helpful route to ensuring newly qualified RNs get into the workforce more quickly while still retaining the option to go back to their studies at a later date.
There are around 30 ADN programs across Michigan, delivered mainly by community colleges. Competition for available places is often high. Once accepted into a nursing program, a student in Michigan will typically take four to five semesters to complete their degree and will then be eligible to sit the NCLEX-RN examination to receive their state license.
Michigan is not a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state, and it has not enacted the compact. Legislation to join it, House Bill 4246, passed the Michigan House 57-52 on June 11, 2025 and was referred to the Senate Committee on Regulatory Affairs the following day, where it remains. Until that bill becomes law and the state implements it, Michigan nurses cannot hold a multistate license, and nurses holding a multistate license issued elsewhere cannot use it to practice in Michigan. If you plan to work across state lines, budget for a separate Michigan license by endorsement.
Be careful with the compact rosters that circulate online. Several list Michigan alongside Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York as having “enacted but not implemented” the compact, which is wrong: those three states have passed compact legislation without setting an implementation date, whereas Michigan’s bill has not passed at all. Check the Michigan Board of Nursing or the bill’s status directly rather than relying on a summary list.
Featured programs
Grand Rapids Community College
The associate degree program at Grand Rapids consists of a pre-nursing semester and four semesters of nursing coursework. A mixture of classroom instruction and clinical lab work that provides direct, hands-on healthcare experience ensures that students are ready to work as a Registered Nurse in a variety of acute and community settings. The program is approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Graduates go on to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.
Requirements for admission to the program include a minimum High School GPA of 2.5 or a College GPA of 2.0 and a score of 75% on each segment of the HESI (Health Education Services Inc.) entrance examination. Candidates who meet all of the requirements are placed on a waitlist and allocated the next available seat on the program. The waiting time once accepted is between 18 months and two years.
143 Bostwick Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616-234-4238
Website: http://www.grcc.edu/nursingprograms
Lake Michigan College
The LMC nursing program associate degree has been accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) since 1981 and is fully approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing. Graduates are prepared to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination. The average completion time is three years, year one is taken up by the completion of pre-requisite and general education courses.
Pre-requisite courses include chemistry, biology, and math with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Applicants must also take and pass the HESI (Health Education Services Inc.) entrance examination. Entry into the nursing program is competitive and places are limited. All applicants are evaluated and ranked using a point system. In addition to the candidate’s academic record, direct patient care work experience, certification in a healthcare field, completion of the Professional Health Careers Academy (PHCA), or a previously earned bachelor’s degree will also be taken into account in the ranking process.
2755 E Napier Ave
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
269-927-1000
Lansing Community College
LCC’s career ladder nursing program leads initially to certification as an LPN and continues on to an Associate Degree in Applied Science (AAS). Graduates take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination. The program is approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The program operates a selective admissions process. There is no waitlist, candidates are ranked and offered one of the limited numbers of places based on a points system.
The program offers three tracks towards the associate degree. The traditional track admits two intakes each year and can be completed within two years. The second-degree track admits up to 32 students each year who already possess a bachelor’s or higher degree and has a 16-month duration. The advanced standing track is designed for existing LPNs, respiratory therapists, and paramedics and also has a 16-month duration.
610 N Capitol Avenue
Lansing, MI 48933
517-483-1410
Website: https://www.lcc.edu/hhs/programs/nursing/
Macomb County Community College
Macomb County Community College has around 550 nursing students enrolled in its selective-entry ADN program. This program prepares students for the NCLEX-RN licensing examination and a career as a registered nurse. In recent years, the pass rate for Macomb graduates in this examination has exceeded the US national average. The associate degree program at Macomb is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing.
At Macomb, nursing and general education courses are enhanced by supervised clinical experience in hospitals and other healthcare settings. Nursing coursework introduces students to theoretical concepts and patient-centered care and allows for the exploration of different nursing specialties. Macomb is particularly proud of its Human Patient Simulator Lab which includes a state-of-the-art, computer-controlled mannequin, upon which students can practice their hands-on nursing skills.
14500 E Twelve Mile Road
Warren, MI 48088
586-445-7999
Website: https://www.macomb.edu/future-students/programs/nursing.html
Schoolcraft College
Schoolcraft two year nursing program graduates receive an award of an Associate Degree in Applied Science (AAS) and are prepared to sit their NCLEX-RN examination. The 63.5 credit program is approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
Application requirements include pre-requisite college-level courses in Psychology, Math and Biology with a minimum 2.5 GPA, and a composite score of 60% for the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). Qualified applicants are allocated places in date order of the receipt of their application. Students are admitted to the program on an ongoing basis and start the program in the fall semester.
Nursing courses are offered during the day/afternoon at the Livonia campus and are scheduled throughout the year in seven-week blocks. In addition to lecture and laboratory sessions, clinical rotations during evenings and weekends form part of the standard curriculum.
18600 Haggerty Highway
Livonia, MI 48152
734-462-4400
Website: https://www.schoolcraft.edu/academics/healthcare-and-health-sciences/nursing
Benefits of associate degree programs
Associate degree programs in nursing cover much the same clinical and conceptual material as a bachelor’s in nursing but with a reduced academic background component. Associate degrees are usually delivered by community colleges that place a premium upon employing faculty with plenty of real-world experience. This combination enables students to complete their studies more quickly and enter the healthcare workforce fully prepared with the practical skills and experience needed in their new roles as Registered Nurses.
Accreditation and approval in Michigan
Two things are often confused here, and only one of them is mandatory.
Board of Nursing approval is the requirement. The Michigan Board of Nursing approves and monitors nursing education programs in the state to ensure educational standards and curriculum are maintained. Graduating from a board-approved program is what makes you eligible to apply for licensure and sit the NCLEX-RN.
National nursing accreditation is voluntary but valuable. The accreditors that cover ADN programs are the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA). The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) does not accredit associate degree programs – it accredits baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs only, so no ADN will appear in CCNE’s directory. Accreditation matters most for transfer credit into an RN-to-BSN program and for employers who set a BSN pathway expectation.
Separately from program approval, RNs must obtain an individual license to practice in the state, which is issued by the Michigan Board of Nursing within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). ADN graduates obtain that license by passing the NCLEX-RN examination after completing their program of study.
Overview of associate degree programs in Michigan
Places on the majority of ADN programs in Michigan are usually capped at an upper limit which is determined by the availability of faculty and facilities. The requirements for candidates frequently specify a variety of pre-requisite courses, a GPA of 2.5, and achieving a minimum standard on an entrance examination such as the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) or Healthcare Education Systems Inc. (HESI). However, meeting the minimum requirements does not always guarantee a place. Colleges are adopting a variety of different tactics to manage the flow of aspiring RNs including candidate ranking, date-driven acceptance, and long waitlists.
There are a number of different ways of referring to associate degrees in nursing. These include ADN, for Associate Degree, Nursing; AN, for Associate of Nursing; ASN, for Associate of Science in Nursing; and AAS, for Associate of Applied Science in Nursing. As long as the program is approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing, graduates of all of these types of associate degrees are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN examination to obtain a license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the state.
Choosing an associate degree program in Michigan
Many community colleges across the state offer an ADN program. The most critical factor in choosing an institution is that the program is approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing, since board approval is what makes graduates eligible to sit the NCLEX-RN. After this has been confirmed, other factors to consider include:
- The type of educational institution and the quality of the teaching
- Curriculum and educational philosophy
- The selection process, pre-requisites, and waitlists
- Length of the program
- Clinical hours and where these take place
- Program outcomes such as the pass rates for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam compared to the state and nationally, student course completion rates, student satisfaction rates, and graduate hiring data
- Tuition and additional costs
How Michigan ADN graduates perform on the NCLEX
In 2025, first-time, US-educated candidates from Michigan associate degree programs passed the NCLEX-RN at 87.5% (1,963 of 2,243), ahead of the state’s baccalaureate cohort at 84.5% (2,198 of 2,600) and ahead of the national first-time figure of 86.7%. Across all degree types Michigan’s first-time pass rate was 85.9% (4,162 of 4,844), slightly below the national number, with the ADN cohort carrying the stronger result.
That three-point ADN advantage runs against the common assumption that a BSN produces materially better exam outcomes, and it is worth weighing when comparing a community college ADN against a four-year program. It is a single year’s data rather than a trend, so treat it as a reason not to discount the ADN route rather than as a reason to prefer it outright. Ask any program you are considering for its own last three years of first-time pass rates, which is a more useful number than either the state or national average.
What Michigan RNs earn
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data for May 2025 puts the Michigan median annual RN wage at $94,300, modestly below the national RN median of $97,550. The state’s percentile spread runs from $77,260 at the 10th percentile through $82,080 at the 25th, $103,450 at the 75th, and $116,710 at the 90th.
The spread is narrower than in many states, which cuts both ways: starting pay holds up reasonably well, but the ceiling is lower than in coastal markets. Detroit, Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids sit toward the upper end of the range, with rural northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula toward the lower.
Nationally, BLS projects RN employment growth of 6% between 2025 and 2035, faster than the average across all occupations, with roughly 180,800 openings per year over the decade. Most of that volume is replacement demand as nurses retire or leave the profession rather than net new positions, which is what sustains hiring in a state with an aging workforce like Michigan’s.
References
- Michigan Board of Nursing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), licensure and nursing education program information.
- Michigan Legislature, House Bill 4246 (2025-2026 session), Nurse Licensure Compact; passed the House June 11, 2025, referred to the Senate Committee on Regulatory Affairs June 12, 2025.
- Michigan Health and Hospital Association, “Nurse Licensure Compact Legislation Clears House,” 2025.
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing, “Nurse Licensure Compact,” implementation status by jurisdiction, 2026.
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing, “2025 NCLEX Examination Statistics,” Research Brief Vol. 96, June 2026, Table 8 (first-time, US-educated NCLEX-RN candidates by degree type and jurisdiction).
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 29-1141 (Registered Nurses), Michigan state estimates.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Registered Nurses,” employment projections 2025–2035.
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, accredited program directory.
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, “CCNE Accreditation” scope and accredited program directory (baccalaureate and graduate programs).
- National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation, accredited program directory.
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2025-2026 Annual Survey of Institutions with Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Nursing Programs, published May 7, 2026.