UW-Milwaukee School of Nursing: Programs, NCLEX & Requirements (2026)
Milwaukee’s public research university offers a large School of Nursing with multi-site pre-licensure options, a Direct Entry Master of Nursing, online RN-BS completion, and doctoral programs. This guide summarizes published curricula highlights, 2026–27 tuition estimates from UWM’s cost-of-attendance tables, and 2024 NCLEX data from Wisconsin DSPS plus UWM’s cohort narrative.
Contents
Quick Facts
Key Takeaway
UWM highlights more than 1,400 students in the School of Nursing, the James and Yvonne Ziemer Clinical Simulation Center, and 160+ clinical partnerships—useful signals if you want urban volume, simulation infrastructure, and a broad clinical network while staying in the UW System.
Overview & Why Students Choose UWM Nursing
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Nursing (official unit name on uwm.edu) sits in Wisconsin’s largest metro area and is part of the UW System. Publicly, the school emphasizes collaboration with community agencies, research activity, and scale: it reports more than 1,400 students, 160+ clinical partnerships, and the James and Yvonne Ziemer Clinical Simulation Center for skills and simulation work.
Pathways span pre-licensure undergraduate nursing, a Direct Entry Master of Nursing for career changers who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, flexible RN to BS completion modalities, graduate Master of Nursing options, DNP and PhD programs, and multiple graduate certificates in APRN roles—details on the school’s Academic Programs hub.
Wisconsin’s Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) publishes annual NCLEX pass-rate tables. For 2024, the row WI – UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – BS (US50508300) shows 270 candidates tested, 259 passed, and a 95.93% pass rate. UW-Milwaukee’s School of Nursing publicly describes the same 270-tester, 95.93% aggregate for its undergraduate pathways operating across Milwaukee, Waukesha, UW-Parkside, and the Direct Entry MN cohort. Confirm the latest cohort and any program-level splits with DSPS and UWM.
Reasons students choose the UWM School of Nursing
Multi-site pre-licensure access
UWM’s professional nursing major materials describe coursework options at Milwaukee, Waukesha, and UW-Parkside—helpful if you need location flexibility within the same curriculum framework.
Published NCLEX outcomes
State-published DSPS tables and UWM’s NCLEX reporting provide transparent 2024 first-time pass-rate context for the school’s undergraduate aggregate; always verify newer DSPS publications as they are released.
Simulation & scale
The Ziemer Clinical Simulation Center and a student body of 1,400+ (per the school homepage) signal substantial lab infrastructure and peer network compared with very small private cohort models.
Direct Entry MN for second-degree students
Applicants who already have a bachelor’s in another field can pursue the Direct Entry MN toward advanced generalist preparation (Clinical Nurse Leader emphasis per UWM materials) rather than a traditional four-year BSN only.
Flexible RN to BS modalities
Working RNs can explore BSN@Work, BSN@Home online delivery, or the UW Flex Option, as summarized on UWM’s second-degree and RN-BS pages.
Nursing Programs Offered
Only programs appearing on the UWM School of Nursing Academic Programs directory (March 2026) are summarized here. Use the catalog for official requirements, course titles, and any new certificates.
Pre-licensure
BS in Nursing (professional major)
Holistic admission to the professional nursing major with prerequisites such as anatomy & physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, and nursing foundations courses per UWM’s application guidelines. Coursework can align to Milwaukee, Waukesha, or UW-Parkside sites.
Direct Entry Master of Nursing
For applicants with a completed non-nursing bachelor’s degree who seek a master’s pathway in nursing; UWM materials reference Clinical Nurse Leader preparation and NCLEX readiness alongside graduate-level coursework.
Post-licensure (RN completion & graduate)
RN to BS in Nursing
Completion options include BSN@Work (in person), BSN@Home (online), and the competency-based UW Flex Option according to UWM’s second-degree overview.
BS to MN / RN to MN
Master of Nursing pathways for bachelor’s-prepared nurses or RNs advancing to graduate study, listed on the academics hub alongside other graduate offerings.
Doctoral & certificates
DNP · PhD · BS to PhD
UWM lists hybrid/online DNP, on-campus PhD, online PhD in Nursing, and a BS-to-PhD track on its program directory; confirm delivery and specialty match before applying.
APRN & specialty graduate certificates
Examples on uwm.edu include Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP, Family NP, Psychiatric Mental Health, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and additional population-focused certificates—verify active availability each cycle.
UWM’s Tuition & Fees page notes that nursing and other majors may incur segregated fees plus differential per-credit charges. Use the undergraduate fee schedule, graduate nursing schedules (including Master of Nursing Direct Entry and DNP PDFs), and the differential fee PDF for the term you plan to enroll.
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate
According to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) 2024 NCLEX pass rates spreadsheet, the entry WI – UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – BS (US50508300) reports 259 passed of 270 tested, a 95.93% pass rate for that RN program line. UW-Milwaukee’s 2024 NCLEX announcement states that the same 270 students testing in Wisconsin from its undergraduate nursing programs—including Milwaukee, Waukesha, UW-Parkside, and Direct Entry MN—passed at 95.93%, with site-specific rates also published there (for example, Milwaukee campus 98.4%; Waukesha reported pass rate 100% for that school-reported 2024 site snapshot; Parkside 93.9%; Direct Entry MN 90.9%).
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN first-time pass (aggregate, 2024) | 95.93% (259 passed / 270 tested per DSPS table row US50508300) |
| Program line in state table | WI – UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – BS (US50508300) |
| Source | DSPS 2024YearlyPass Rate_WI.pdf; UWM School of Nursing 2024 NCLEX article for cohort narrative and site splits. Confirm current rates with DSPS and UWM. |
NCLEX outcomes change by cohort, site, and program line. Wisconsin publishes updated tables annually; always confirm the latest first-time pass percentages and denominators with DSPS and the School of Nursing before making decisions.
International Students & Internationally Educated Nurses
International applicants and internationally educated nurses should treat the bullets below as a checklist only. Immigration status, clinical placement clearance, and Wisconsin RN licensure steps interact in ways that change frequently.
- English-language proficiency: Confirm TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo minimums with UWM’s Office of International Education and your specific nursing program.
- Transcript evaluation: Determine whether UWM requires WES, ECE, or another evaluator for nursing coursework.
- Wisconsin DSPS / Board of Nursing: For RN licensure by examination or endorsement, review DSPS credentialing instructions and NCLEX eligibility for your education pathway.
- Visa & clinical compliance: Clinical courses may require background checks, immunizations, and health system clearance that affect F-1 or other visa holders differently than domestic students.
This section is general guidance, not legal advice. Verify every requirement with UWM’s international office, the nursing program, and Wisconsin DSPS nursing professions staff.
Admissions: A Realistic Look
Admission to UWM’s professional nursing major is separate from general university admission: students complete prerequisites, then apply to the major using holistic review. Faculty materials state the program is competitive because clinical capacity is limited.
Professional nursing major (BS) — holistic criteria
According to UWM’s application page, the committee considers academics, volunteer/work/leadership patterns (health care experience recommended), an on-campus essay, and short virtual interviews. TEAS and HESI are not used in that holistic process. CNA certification is optional but encouraged.
Application timeline
| Entry Term | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fall professional major (Milwaukee & Parkside) | January 2, 5:00 p.m. CT (annual cycle per UWM page) | Application opens November; interviews in February; decisions in March (per UWM timeline). |
| Spring professional major (Milwaukee) | July 24, 5:00 p.m. CT | Virtual and in-person interview components in early September; October decisions. |
| Other programs (DE MN, RN-BS, graduate) | Varies | Use the relevant program page or graduate school calendar; this guide focuses on the published BS professional-major cycle. |
Competitiveness snapshot (school-published)
UWM’s FAQ on the same page reports roughly 160 applications per cycle with about 72 fall and 112 spring seats—illustrating why planning prerequisites, repeats, and volunteer depth early matters.
Admissions snapshot
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Acceptance rate (nursing major) | Not publicly disclosed as a single percentage; seat counts and application volume appear in UWM’s FAQ. |
| Prerequisite repeat policy | UWM allows at most two repeats and only one repeat per course; grades below C- must be replaced (per application page). |
| TEAS / HESI | Not used for holistic BS professional-major admission (per UWM). |
| Science expiration | Prerequisite science credits must generally be earned within 10 years of starting the major unless an advisor approves an exception. |
Tuition & Cost of Attendance
UWM publishes estimated tuition figures used for financial aid budgeting on its Cost of Attendance page. Those estimates are not identical to your PAWS bill: nursing majors may owe segregated fees, differential tuition, or course/Lab fees shown on the Tuition & Fees hub (undergraduate schedule, graduate nursing schedules, differential PDF).
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s tuition estimate (2026–27) | Wisconsin resident $10,916; Minnesota reciprocity $15,182; Midwest Student Exchange $15,522; non-resident $23,516 (annual estimates, UWM COA tables). |
| Bachelor’s tuition estimate (2025–26) | WI $10,398; MN reciprocity $14,584; Midwest $14,784; non-resident $22,398. |
| Graduate tuition estimate (2026–27) | UWM lists graduate tuition estimates of $12,806 (WI), $22,986 (MN reciprocity), $18,358 (Midwest), $26,238 (non-resident) on the same COA grid—use the Master of Nursing / DNP fee PDFs for billed amounts. |
| Scholarships | The School of Nursing notes more than $500,000 in annual scholarships and funding opportunities; see UWM nursing scholarships pages for named awards. |
| Source | UWM Cost of Attendance and UWM Tuition & Fees schedules. Confirm amounts for your admit term and major. |
Student Outcomes & Career Prospects
Published outcome metrics for UWM nursing emphasize NCLEX-RN success and clinical breadth. For employment or salary benchmarks, rely on UWM career services, alumni surveys, or the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics rather than unsourced percentages.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN first-time pass (2024 aggregate) | 95.93% (259/270) per DSPS row US50508300; UWM describes the same aggregate and publishes site/program splits for 2024. |
| Clinical partnership reach | UWM cites 160+ clinical partners—strong regional placement potential, but assignments vary individually. |
| Job placement / salary | Not summarized here from a single audited report. For current graduate outcomes, refer to UWM nursing or campus career dashboards. |
| Source | DSPS 2024 pass rates; UWM NCLEX 2024 article; UWM School of Nursing homepage. |
Is UWM Nursing the Right Fit for You?
UWM fits applicants who value a large public program with transparent state oversight data, multiple campus entry points, and graduate depth—but expect structured prerequisite rules and competitive admission to the professional major.
✓ Good fit for students who—
- Want Milwaukee-region clinical volume and a broad UW System network.
- Prefer holistic BS admission without TEAS/HESI but can supply strong prerequisites, volunteer patterns, and interview skills.
- Need RN-to-BSN online flexibility or a Direct Entry MN after a prior bachelor’s degree.
- Plan to leverage simulation facilities (Ziemer Center) and abundant elective certificates at the graduate level.
✗ May not be ideal for students who—
- Expect guaranteed automatic progression into a nursing major without a separate competitive application.
- Want a very small private-college cohort where every seat is unrestricted—UWM publishes finite seat numbers.
- Cannot meet science repeat limits or the 10-year science freshness rule common in UWM materials.
- Need a program outside the pathways UWM actually lists (always cross-check the academics directory).
Local Healthcare Ecosystem
Milwaukee anchors southeastern Wisconsin’s referral and specialty care network. Major academic medical centers, community hospitals, public health departments, and federally qualified health centers all create demand for bedside nurses, care coordinators, and future APRNs—matching UWM’s emphasis on community-engaged practice.
| Theme | Details |
|---|---|
| Clinical volume | UWM states 160+ partnerships, exposing students to diverse inpatient, outpatient, and specialty settings across the metro area and extended region (exact sites assigned per term). |
| Workforce demand | Southeastern Wisconsin continues to recruit nurses across acute, post-acute, and community roles; graduates can also feed advanced practice pipelines tied to UWM’s DNP and certificate tracks. |
| Regulatory oversight | Wisconsin nursing programs and NCLEX statistics flow through DSPS, which publishes pass-rate spreadsheets used throughout this guide. |
Student Experience & Campus Life
Nursing students primarily connect through Cunningham Hall on Hartford Avenue—home to student affairs, advising suites, and collaborative study space. The Ziemer Clinical Simulation Center supports high-fidelity scenarios and skills labs, while student organizations such as the Nursing Student Association help build community. Milwaukee’s urban setting adds commuter options, internships, and part-time clinical tech roles, but also means you should plan transportation and parking just like other city-based nursing majors.
Resources & Next Steps
Contact & location
- Campus location
- Milwaukee, WI
- Address
- 1921 E Hartford Ave, Cunningham Hall, Milwaukee, WI 53211, US
- Telephone (Student Affairs)
- (414) 229-5047
- Contact email
- uwmchps@uwm.edu
- Website
- UWM School of Nursing
Official links
Your “Next 7 Days” checklist
- Bookmark the professional nursing application page and note whether you are targeting fall or spring entry.
- Download the prerequisite table and compare every science and nursing foundation course to your transcripts; check the 10-year science rule.
- Because UWM does not use TEAS/HESI for the BS holistic review, invest time in volunteer continuity and interview preparation instead of default test prep—unless your pathway (another program) still requires exams.
- Call Student Affairs at (414) 229-5047 to book advising and confirm Parkside or Waukesha logistics if you plan to study away from Milwaukee.
- Model net cost using the UWM Total Cost Estimator plus differential-fee PDFs.
- Read the DSPS pass-rate PDF to understand how Wisconsin reports testers vs. passers before comparing schools.
- Add both January 2 and July 24 deadlines to your calendar if you want alternate entry flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UW-Milwaukee use “College of Nursing” or “School of Nursing?”
Official marketing and CCNE statements on uwm.edu refer to the School of Nursing, even though some directories use legacy “college” language. When in doubt, match the branding on the school’s own pages.
What is the 2024 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for UWM’s undergraduate aggregate?
Wisconsin DSPS lists 95.93% (259/270) for program line US50508300, and UWM’s 2024 news article references the same aggregate plus campus splits. Confirm newer DSPS releases as they post.
Is TEAS required for UWM’s BS nursing major?
No—UWM’s holistic admission page explicitly states TEAS and HESI are not part of the review. Always re-check if you apply to a different pathway (graduate or flex) that might add requirements.
How much is tuition for a Wisconsin resident pursuing a bachelor’s at UWM in 2026–27?
UWM’s cost-of-attendance table lists a $10,916 annual bachelor’s tuition estimate for Wisconsin residents; non-residents show $23,516. Add fees, housing, and any nursing differential charges from the bursar PDFs.
Can I complete RN-BS fully online at UWM?
UWM advertises BSN@Home online completion plus employer-based BSN@Work and UW Flex options. Choice depends on your employer agreements and learning format preference.
What is Direct Entry MN?
It targets students who already earned a bachelor’s in a non-nursing field and want a master’s-level nursing pathway with NCLEX preparation; UWM ties it to Clinical Nurse Leader foundations—read the Direct Entry MN page for prerequisites.
How selective is the professional nursing major?
UWM publishes approximate seat counts (72 fall / 112 spring) versus ~160 applications per cycle—expect holistic review rather than a published static acceptance percentage.
Where will I take classes for the BS major?
UWM allows the professional nursing sequence at Milwaukee, Waukesha, or UW-Parkside depending on pathway—coordinate early so prerequisites align with your intended site.
How do I confirm clinical placement sites?
Because UWM rotates more than 160 partners, you will not know every site years in advance. Ask Student Affairs or clinical placement staff how Milwaukee vs. regional assignments typically work for your cohort.
References
- UW-Milwaukee School of Nursinguwm.edu/nursing
- UWM Nursing — Academic Programsuwm.edu/nursing/academics
- UWM — BS Professional Nursing Applicationuwm.edu/nursing/academics/bs-traditional/apply
- UWM — 2024 NCLEX articleuwm.edu/nursing/uwm-nursing-students-shine-with-nclex-success-in-2024
- Wisconsin DSPS — 2024 NCLEX pass rates (PDF)dsps.wi.gov/Documents/2024YearlyPass Rate_WI.pdf
- Wisconsin DSPS — Nursing Schoolsdsps.wi.gov/Pages/Professions/NursingSchools.aspx
- UWM — Cost of Attendanceuwm.edu/finances/finances/cost-of-attendance
- UWM — Tuition & Feesuwm.edu/finances/finances/estimating-your-costs/tuition
- National Council of State Boards of Nursingncsbn.org
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Registered Nursesbls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm
Editorial Standards & Review
About the author: Francesco Di Siena, RN, writes evidence-based nursing education guides for NurseOnShift.
Review: This page was reviewed by Araceli Collado, RN, for NCLEX alignment with Wisconsin DSPS data, program list accuracy against UWM’s academics directory, and tuition alignment with published UWM cost-of-attendance tables.
Disclaimer: This page is for general reference only. It does not constitute professional, admissions, or financial advice. Requirements, deadlines, tuition, and policies change; always verify with UW-Milwaukee and Wisconsin DSPS.
Published: April 1, 2026 · Last reviewed: April 1, 2026 · Medical Review Process · Editorial Policy