Enroll in a Minnesota Nursing School – Get an ASN, BSN or MSN Degree

Study Online or On-Campus to Become an RN or LPN

If you study to become an LPN or RN in Minnesota your job prospects are diverse as are the nursing schools. The list of accredited MN schools below includes small community colleges where you can earn a Practical Nurse or ASN degree, private college that offers baccalaureate nursing degrees, and major universities that deliver BSN, MSN, post-grad certificates, and doctoral degrees.

Innovative nursing programs that have been developed to help put nurses in job faster include:

  • Accelerated BSN degrees
  • Online nursing degree programs or blended programs.

Major healthcare centers in Minnesota include the world famous Mayo Clinic and St. Mary’s Hospital, Abbott Northwestern, and the University of Minnesota Medical Center. The largest number of RNs is employed in facilities like these. This is not to say that the nursing shortage is nonexistent in them. In fact the problem with a major hospital is nursing burnout. Part of the nursing shortage problem in Minnesota and beyond is the massive nurse exodus versus the influx of new nurses—many more have been leaving and part of it’s due to poor and unsafe work environments and patient care units.

But as hotly trafficked as are the major medical centers many very good nursing positions remain open in smaller community hospitals, urgent care centers, nursing homes and long term care facilities, veterans’ hospitals, doctors’ offices, and even rural community health centers.

Advanced Practice Nurses: not only are jobs available in Minnesota’s major medical facilities, but primary care specialists—Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, and even Nurse Anesthetists-- are urged to pursue jobs in rural communities where many remote individuals have rare access to good healthcare. And if you’re a nurse interested in rural health, look for schools with possible rural community health specializations.

Loan Forgiveness and Scholarship Programs for MN Student Nurses

As a student nurse you could have access to aid programs that help you pay for your college loans available through Minnesota state sources:

  • The Minnesota Nurse Loan Forgiveness Program is administered through the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. The aim of the program is to offer cash incentive to those RN students willing to work in a rural healthcare facility in exchange for nurse loan repayment.
  • The Minnesota Nurses Association administers nearly a dozen nursing scholarships and grants to member students in undergraduate, graduate, and post-grad programs.

Besides the above programs make sure you check the following sources for state nursing scholarships and other forms of financial aid:

  • Tuition reimbursement program from your employer
  • Scholarships and grants for nursing students from your nursing school, from healthcare providers, from pharmaceutical companies, from non-profit entities, etc.
  • Loan forgiveness or repayment programs available through the hospital or medical center where you are or will be employed.

List of Accredited Campus-Based Nursing Schools in Minnesota

  • Anoka-Ramsey Community College
  • Augsburg College
  • Bemidji State University
  • Bethel University
  • College of Saint Benedict
  • College of Saint Benedict/St. John’s University
  • College of Saint Catherine
  • College of St. Scholastica
  • Concordia College-Moorhead
  • Crown College
  • Globe University/Minnesota School of Business
  • Gustavus Adolphus College
  • Inver Hills Community College and Century College
  • Metropolitan State University
  • Minneapolis Community and Technical College
  • Minnesota State University-Mankato
  • Minnesota State University-Moorhead
  • Normandale Community College
  • North Hennepin Community College
  • Ridgewater College
  • Riverland Community College
  • Rochester Community and Technical College
  • Saint John’s University
  • Saint Olaf College
  • Saint Paul College
  • St. Cloud State University
  • University of Minnesota
  • Walden University
  • Winona State University

Explore Your Nursing Degree Options Today!