2023 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota
It's not easy to decide which nursing program to enroll in when you have so many options available. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Also there are many trade schools and bpptcamp that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Nursing Degree Search has created its Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Our analysis looked at 23 schools in Minnesota to see which associate degree programs offered the best educational experiences for nursing students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school us, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
Top Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Rasmussen University - Minnesota to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a associate degree in Minnesota. Located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the small private for-profit school awarded 1,328 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Rasmussen University - Minnesota, expect to pay an average of $13,765 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Rasmussen University - Minnesota accumulate an average of $21,089 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Rasmussen University - Minnesota does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 87% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Northwest Technical College is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. Northwest Technical College is a very small public school located in Bemidji, Minnesota that handed out 115 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at NTC is $6,226. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $13,981 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at NTC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 74% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Rochester Community and Technical College is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. This small public school is located in Rochester, Minnesota, and it awarded 690 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Rochester Community and Technical College, expect to pay an average of $5,670 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $18,059 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Rochester Community and Technical College. In 2020-2021 about 61% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on Rochester Community and Technical College
Out of the 23 schools in Minnesota that were part of this year’s ranking, Inver Hills Community College landed the # 4 spot on the list. This small public school is located in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, and it awarded 487 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at IHCC is $6,007. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,245 in student loans.
Online courses are available at IHCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 78% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Out of the 23 schools in Minnesota that were part of this year’s ranking, Anoka-Ramsey Community College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is a medium-sized public school situated in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. It awarded 1,112 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus, expect to pay an average of $5,655 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus accumulate an average of $17,814 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 68% took at least some of their classes online.
Minnesota West Community and Technical College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Located in Granite Falls, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 239 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Minnesota pay an average of $6,484 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Minnesota West. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,332. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,120 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Minnesota West does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 48% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Ridgewater College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Located in Willmar, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 548 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Ridgewater College, expect to pay an average of $6,114 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,925 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Ridgewater College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 72% took at least some of their classes online.
Alexandria Technical & Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Alexandria, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 337 students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend ATCC, expect to pay an average of $6,107 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,721 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at ATCC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 49% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #9, South Central College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in North Mankato, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 375 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at South Central College is $6,146. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $15,951 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at South Central College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 65% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Hibbing Community College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Located in Hibbing, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 643 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Minnesota pay an average of $5,970 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Hibbing Community College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,268. On average, associate degree students take out $14,638 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Hibbing Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 51% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Century College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Century College is a medium-sized public school situated in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. It awarded 1,188 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Century College is $6,105. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,410 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Century College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 72% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
North Hennepin Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #12 on the list. North Hennepin Community College is a small public school situated in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. It awarded 613 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at North Hennepin Community College is $5,050. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $18,106 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at North Hennepin Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 82% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Hennepin Technical College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 533 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Hennepin Technical College is $5,881. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,370 in student loans.
Hennepin Technical College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 54% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #14, St Cloud Technical and Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 735 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend St Cloud Technical and Community College, expect to pay an average of $6,075 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $15,759 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at St Cloud Technical and Community College. In 2020-2021 about 65% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Northland Community and Technical College landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Thief River Falls, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 385 students in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $6,244 to cover tuition and fees at Northland Community and Technical College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,992 in student loans.
Northland Community and Technical College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 51% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #16, Central Lakes College - Brainerd did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Central Lakes College - Brainerd is a small public school located in Brainerd, Minnesota that handed out 503 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Central Lakes College, expect to pay an average of $6,140 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Central Lakes College accumulate an average of $15,319 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Central Lakes College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 34% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Minnesota State Community and Technical College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. M State is a medium-sized public school situated in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. It awarded 727 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
M State does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $5,900. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $16,782 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at M State. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 51% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Lake Superior College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 672 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $6,404 to cover tuition and fees at LSC. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, associate degree students take out $16,655 in loans while pursuing their degree.
LSC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 47% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Normandale Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Normandale Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Bloomington, Minnesota that handed out 1,371 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $6,321 to cover tuition and fees at Normandale Community College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,310 in student loans.
Normandale Community College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 81% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Minneapolis Community and Technical College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. This medium-sized public school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 954 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Minneapolis Community and Technical College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $6,098. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Minneapolis Community and Technical College accumulate an average of $21,097 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 76% took at least some of their classes online.
Saint Paul College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 560 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Saint Paul College is $6,318. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,097 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Saint Paul College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 64% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #22, Pine Technical & Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in Pine City, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 134 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Students from Minnesota who attend Pine Technical & Community College full time pay an average of $4,643 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,821. On average, associate degree students take out $18,296 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Pine Technical & Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 24% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College is a small public school located in Cloquet, Minnesota that handed out 124 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, expect to pay an average of $5,999 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,578 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 17% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
View Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools Nationwide >
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 23 schools only.
References
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
NursingDegreeSearch.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© NursingDegreeSearch.com – All Rights Reserved.