Nursing Schools in Minnesota (2026)
60 accredited nursing programs found
Minnesota has 60 nursing-relevant schools in this directory, with 36 public and 24 private institutions. Average in-state tuition is $17,452, with public schools averaging $7,564 and private schools averaging $34,403. The 25th-to-75th-percentile tuition band runs from $6,182 to $25,659. The cheapest tracked program in this directory is Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science at $3,257 per year — an unusual combination of a low published tuition figure with a highly selective admissions profile — and the largest by undergraduate enrollment is the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities at approximately 30,469.
Across Minnesota programs the average graduation rate is 51.0 percent and the average retention rate is 70.4 percent. Median post-graduation earnings average $49,426 — among the higher in the country — and median federal debt at graduation averages $16,834. The state's healthcare employer base is anchored by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, M Health Fairview, Allina Health, and HealthPartners, producing a deep and stable employment market for newly licensed RNs.
Registered Nurse Market in Minnesota
BLS wage and employment data for registered nurses
Registered Nurse Salary in Minnesota
Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024
Matches the Minnesota average of $17,452.
Matches the Minnesota average of 51.0%.
Matches the Minnesota median of $49,426.
Tuition Overview
| Avg Public Tuition | $7,564 |
| Lowest Tuition | $3,257 |
| Highest Tuition | $56,970 |
| Avg Private Tuition | $34,403 |
Student Outcomes
| Avg Graduation Rate | 51.0% |
| Avg Earnings After Grad | $51,528 |
| Avg Student Debt | $16,834 |
| Total Enrollment | 204,129 |
Most Affordable Nursing Schools in Minnesota
All Nursing Schools in Minnesota
| Institution | City | Type | Tuition (In-State) | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Minneapolis | Public | $16,488 | 30,469 |
| Capella University | Minneapolis | For-Profit | $14,436 | 16,173 |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato | Mankato | Public | $9,490 | 11,325 |
| Rasmussen University-Minnesota | St. Cloud | For-Profit | $10,899 | 8,033 |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth | Duluth | Public | $14,318 | 7,475 |
| Walden University | Minneapolis | For-Profit | $12,498 | 7,337 |
| Normandale Community College | Bloomington | Public | $6,321 | 6,040 |
| University of St Thomas | Saint Paul | Private | $52,284 | 6,014 |
| Century College | White Bear Lake | Public | $6,182 | 5,971 |
| Saint Cloud State University | Saint Cloud | Public | $10,117 | 5,181 |
| Winona State University | Winona | Public | $10,498 | 5,088 |
| Metropolitan State University | Saint Paul | Public | $9,780 | 4,998 |
| Minneapolis Community and Technical College | Minneapolis | Public | $6,128 | 4,816 |
| Anoka-Ramsey Community College | Coon Rapids | Public | $5,682 | 3,983 |
| Saint Paul College | Saint Paul | Public | $6,318 | 3,607 |
| North Hennepin Community College | Brooklyn Park | Public | $5,050 | 3,299 |
| Rochester Community and Technical College | Rochester | Public | $6,359 | 3,122 |
| Bemidji State University | Bemidji | Public | $10,164 | 3,120 |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead | Moorhead | Public | $10,336 | 3,120 |
| St Olaf College | Northfield | Private | $56,970 | 3,049 |
| Minnesota State Community and Technical College | Fergus Falls | Public | $5,900 | 2,875 |
| Hennepin Technical College | Brooklyn Park | Public | $5,881 | 2,827 |
| St Cloud Technical and Community College | Saint Cloud | Public | $4,957 | 2,808 |
| Concordia University-Saint Paul | Saint Paul | Private | $25,000 | 2,786 |
| Lake Superior College | Duluth | Public | $5,786 | 2,456 |
| Augsburg University | Minneapolis | Private | $43,942 | 2,429 |
| St Catherine University | Saint Paul | Private | $49,758 | 2,393 |
| Inver Hills Community College | Inver Grove Heights | Public | $6,007 | 2,203 |
| Dakota County Technical College | Rosemount | Public | $6,419 | 2,083 |
| Ridgewater College | Willmar | Public | $6,109 | 2,048 |
| Southwest Minnesota State University | Marshall | Public | $10,304 | 2,045 |
| Bethel University | Saint Paul | Private | $42,930 | 2,012 |
| Minnesota North College | Hibbing | Public | $6,004 | 1,942 |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | Saint Peter | Private | $54,310 | 1,930 |
| Riverland Community College | Austin | Public | $6,250 | 1,895 |
| South Central College | North Mankato | Public | $6,146 | 1,890 |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | Duluth | Private | $40,454 | 1,725 |
| Concordia College at Moorhead | Moorhead | Private | $30,020 | 1,721 |
| Minnesota West Community and Technical College | Granite Falls | Public | $6,484 | 1,700 |
| University of Minnesota-Crookston | Crookston | Public | $13,120 | 1,650 |
| Anoka Technical College | Anoka | Public | $6,267 | 1,522 |
| University of Northwestern-St Paul | Saint Paul | Private | $36,830 | 1,495 |
| Central Lakes College-Brainerd | Brainerd | Public | $6,209 | 1,486 |
| Saint Johns University | Collegeville | Private | $53,942 | 1,468 |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College | Alexandria | Public | $6,213 | 1,438 |
| Dunwoody College of Technology | Minneapolis | Private | $25,659 | 1,417 |
| College of Saint Benedict | Saint Joseph | Private | $53,884 | 1,392 |
| Northland Community and Technical College | Thief River Falls | Public | $6,262 | 1,382 |
| Minnesota State College Southeast | Winona | Public | $7,820 | 1,198 |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | Winona | Private | $43,160 | 1,061 |
| Crown College | Saint Bonifacius | Private | $30,200 | 789 |
| Bethany Lutheran College | Mankato | Private | $30,010 | 682 |
| Northwest Technical College | Bemidji | Public | $6,246 | 654 |
| Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Minneapolis | Minneapolis | For-Profit | N/A | 608 |
| Pine Technical & Community College | Pine City | Public | $4,681 | 569 |
| Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College | Cloquet | Public | $5,999 | 457 |
| Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science | Rochester | Private | $3,257 | 296 |
| Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center | Minneapolis | Private | N/A | 270 |
| Northwestern Health Sciences University | Bloomington | Private | $12,015 | 251 |
| Nova Academy of Cosmetology Woodbury | WOODBURY | For-Profit | N/A | 56 |
Nursing Schools by City in Minnesota
Nursing Guides & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the RN job outlook for Minnesota?
Minnesota Nursing Market Context
BLS data for Minnesota shows an RN median annual wage of $85,340 and a mean of $87,740. The 10th to 90th percentile range runs from $63,400 to $113,830. Statewide RN employment is approximately 62,270 and the projected growth rate is 5 percent.
Median program debt of $16,834 against an $85,340 RN median wage produces a comfortable payback profile. The 10th-percentile figure of $63,400 is close to the national RN median, indicating that even early-career Minnesota RNs earn at or near the typical national wage. The 90th-percentile figure of $113,830 reflects what experienced and specialty-certified Minnesota RNs can reach, with Mayo Clinic and the Twin Cities academic medical centers anchoring the higher end of that range. Minnesota's relatively flat 5 percent projected growth suggests a stable rather than expanding labor market, with new openings driven by retirement and turnover.