Ross Medical Education Center-Portage
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Best Online Nursing Programs in Portage, MI (2026)
Portage, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $6,026 to $16,152 per year for indexed programs. Portage has a population of about 49,015. Median household income is $79,529 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 48.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Michigan, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $247,010 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Portage
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Portage. Distances are calculated from Portage city center.
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 Portage. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Michigan Career and Technical Institute
Published tuition$8,300 - $16,152
Online programs--
Glen Oaks Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Kellogg Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Southwestern Michigan College
Published tuition$6,026 - $14,999
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Michigan schools on the Michigan nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Portage
Portage is part of the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area (BLS area code 28020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $88,200 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $93,038 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $66,320 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $69,958 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $247,010 | MI statewide | $260,559 |
| Nurse Midwife | $125,140 | MI statewide | $132,004 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $126,460 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $133,397 |
| Nursing Assistant | $39,500 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $41,667 |
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.
Portage at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,015 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $79,529 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 48.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 94.8 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Nursing-related employment in Kalamazoo County | 10,110 workers, 75 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Portage-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Kalamazoo, MI – 5.2 mi away (214,583 pop)
- Battle Creek, MI – 19.7 mi away (77,174 pop)
- Elkhart, IN – 40.0 mi away (147,181 pop)
- Benton Harbor, MI – 44.3 mi away (60,298 pop)
- Holland, MI – 47.0 mi away (101,421 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Portage, MI?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Portage. The closest is Ross Medical Education Center-Portage in Portage, MI (1.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Southwestern Michigan College (30.0 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Portage?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Portage are: Nurse Anesthetist ($247,010), Nurse Practitioner ($126,460), Nurse Midwife ($125,140). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Kalamazoo instead of Portage?
Kalamazoo, MI is 5.2 miles from Portage 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 Portage an affordable place to study nursing?
Portage’s median household income of $79,529 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Portage while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in Michigan
- Nursing programs by state
Other Programs Available in Portage
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Portage:
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Data verified: June 11, 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.