Best colleges for Practical Nursing in Minnesota
Ranked by graduate earnings
Dakota County Technical College, Ridgewater College and Riverland Community College are the top Practical Nursing programs in Minnesota by graduate earnings. Dakota County Technical College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,973, College Scorecard. Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Anoka Technical College and Century College award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Minnesota: 323, 216 and 205 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 25 Minnesota colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 2,497 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…
Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dakota County Technical College Rosemount Public · Certificate | $48,973 | 99 | 58% | — | $14,010 |
| 2 | Ridgewater College Willmar Public · Certificate | $44,921 | 23 | 50% | — | $23,755 |
| 3 | Riverland Community College Austin Public · Certificate | $44,726 | 30 | 52% | — | $22,356 |
| 4 | Saint Paul College Saint Paul Public · Certificate | $44,393 | 160 | 40% | — | $17,500 |
| 5 | Northland Community and Technical College Thief River Falls Public · Certificate | $44,017 | 106 | 56% | — | $19,131 |
| 6 | Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park Public · Certificate | $43,470 | 135 | 42% | — | $8,250 |
| 7 | Anoka Technical College Anoka Public · Certificate | $42,648 | 216 | 66% | — | $12,000 |
| 8 | Minnesota North College Hibbing Public · Certificate | $41,300 | 166 | 42% | — | — |
| 9 | St Cloud Technical and Community College Saint Cloud Public · Certificate | $39,897 | 106 | 45% | — | $23,836 |
| 10 | Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls Public · Certificate | $39,109 | 52 | 47% | — | $19,700 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in Minnesota
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota West Community and Technical College Granite Falls Public | 323 | Not reported |
| 2 | Anoka Technical College Anoka Public | 216 | $42,648 |
| 3 | Century College White Bear Lake Public | 205 | Not reported |
| 4 | Minnesota North College Hibbing Public | 166 | $41,300 |
| 5 | Saint Paul College Saint Paul Public | 160 | $44,393 |
| 6 | Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park Public | 135 | $43,470 |
| 7 | Pine Technical & Community College Pine City Public | 126 | $37,690 |
| 8 | Northland Community and Technical College Thief River Falls Public | 106 | $44,017 |
| 9 | St Cloud Technical and Community College Saint Cloud Public | 106 | $39,897 |
| 10 | Dakota County Technical College Rosemount Public | 99 | $48,973 |
ShowHide the other 15 Minnesota colleges offering Practical Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis Community and Technical College | Minneapolis | Public | 182 |
| Inver Hills Community College | Inver Grove Heights | Public | 173 |
| Normandale Community College | Bloomington | Public | 117 |
| Rasmussen University - Minnesota (Online) | St. Cloud | Private for-profit | 84 |
| Minnesota State Community and Technical College | Fergus Falls | Public | 52 |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College | Alexandria | Public | 48 |
| Rochester Community and Technical College | Rochester | Public | 35 |
| Riverland Community College | Austin | Public | 30 |
| South Central College | North Mankato | Public | 29 |
| Central Lakes College - Brainerd | Brainerd | Public | 28 |
| Ridgewater College | Willmar | Public | 23 |
| Northwest Technical College | Bemidji | Public | 18 |
| Lake Superior College | Duluth | Public | 14 |
| Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College | Cloquet | Public | 12 |
| Minnesota State College Southeast | Winona | Public | 10 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in Minnesota
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in Minnesota.
Which Minnesota colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
Minnesota West Community and Technical College (323 graduates a year), Anoka Technical College (216 graduates a year) and Century College (205 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Minnesota, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 25 Minnesota colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in Minnesota?+
By graduate earnings, Dakota County Technical College leads among Practical Nursing programs in Minnesota, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,973, College Scorecard. Ridgewater College and Riverland Community College follow. By degrees awarded, Minnesota West Community and Technical College is the largest, with 323 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in Minnesota has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Dakota County Technical College tops the list at $48,973. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in Minnesota?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in Minnesota is $46,030 (median $46,680), across about 29,120 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Practical Nursing program?+
The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, monitoring, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Nursing Assistants?+
The national job outlook is about +2.3% growth with around 204,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card