Minnesota · Practical Nursing

Best Practical Nursing institutions in Minnesota, ranked by earnings

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…

Institutions
24
offering CIP 51.39
States offered
9
with a program page
Degrees / yr
2,128
IPEDS completions 2026
Median grad earnings
$44,393
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
18
College Scorecard
Median net price
$19,944
IPEDS 2026
Avg graduation rate
44%
IPEDS 2026
State pay · Nursing Assistants
$45,230
BLS OEWS 2024

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Dakota County Technical College
Rosemount Public · Certificate degree
$48,97310658%$14,010
2Lake Superior College
Duluth Public · Certificate degree
$47,1901942%$11,969
3Rasmussen University - Minnesota
St. Cloud Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$45,27110353%$19,944$21,274
4Ridgewater College
Willmar Public · Certificate degree
$44,9212150%$23,755
5Riverland Community College
Austin Public · Certificate degree
$44,7261452%$22,356
6Saint Paul College
Saint Paul Public · Certificate degree
$44,39311440%$17,500
7Northland Community and Technical College
Thief River Falls Public · Certificate degree
$44,01711756%$19,131
8Hennepin Technical College
Brooklyn Park Public · Certificate degree
$43,4705342%$8,250
9Minnesota State College Southeast
Winona Public · Certificate degree
$43,145747%$23,302
10Anoka Technical College
Anoka Public · Certificate degree
$42,64823466%$12,000

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+2.3%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~204,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$39,530
typically Postsecondary nondegree award

Top skills

Active ListeningMonitoringReading ComprehensionSpeakingCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What Nursing Assistants earn in Minnesota

Jobs in Minnesota
26,970
BLS OEWS May 2024
State average pay
$45,230
median $45,580
Best-paying metro
$47,010
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Related careers

Nursing Assistants
$45,230 avg · 26,970 jobs
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
$61,270 avg · 12,740 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in Minnesota.

Which Practical Nursing program in Minnesota has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Dakota County Technical College tops the list at $48,973. Compare it against completions, 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 $45,230 (median $45,580), across about 26,970 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.

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).

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