Best Nursing Schools Near Elkhart, IN (2026)

Elkhart, Indiana has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $38,890 to $48,449 per year for indexed programs. Elkhart has a population of about 53,726. Median household income is $47,885 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Elkhart-Goshen, IN metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Practitioner at a median $127,190 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Elkhart

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Elkhart, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Elkhart city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Elkhart. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Goshen College

Goshen, IN 11.3 miles from Elkhart
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
65.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 84%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,943
Avg net price $14,493/yr
Tuition
In‑state$38,890
Out‑of‑state$38,890
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Bethel University

Mishawaka, IN 12.0 miles from Elkhart
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,860
Avg net price $18,610/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Indiana University-South Bend

South Bend, IN 13.5 miles from Elkhart
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,947
Avg net price $8,653/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Saint Mary's College

Notre Dame, IN 15.3 miles from Elkhart
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,354
Avg net price $25,292/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Marian University-Ancilla

Plymouth, IN 35.0 miles from Elkhart
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
40.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,759
Avg net price $19,463/yr
Tuition
In‑state$20,100
Out‑of‑state$20,100
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 45%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Manchester University

North Manchester, IN 48.1 miles from Elkhart
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,504
Avg net price $18,805/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, IN 57.9 miles from Elkhart
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,191
Avg net price $18,578/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN 58.3 miles from Elkhart
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,362
Avg net price $18,196/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Indiana schools on the Indiana nursing page.


Nursing Wages Near Elkhart

Elkhart is part of the Elkhart-Goshen, IN metro area (BLS area code 21140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Indiana statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse $88,100 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $97,564
Licensed Practical Nurse $65,860 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $72,935
Nurse Anesthetist N/A IN statewide
Nurse Midwife $101,630 IN statewide $112,547
Nurse Practitioner $127,190 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $140,853
Nursing Assistant $38,150 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $42,248

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Elkhart at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 53,726 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $47,885 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 17.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 90.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Elkhart County 5,773 workers, 35 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Elkhart-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Elkhart, IN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Elkhart. The closest is Goshen College in Goshen, IN (11.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Southwestern Michigan College (19.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Elkhart?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Elkhart are: Nurse Practitioner ($127,190), Nurse Midwife ($101,630), Registered Nurse ($88,100). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Indiana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Goshen instead of Elkhart?

Goshen, IN is 10.6 miles from Elkhart and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Elkhart an affordable place to study nursing?

Elkhart’s median household income of $47,885 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Elkhart while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Indiana public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in Elkhart

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Elkhart:

Data verified: September 6, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.