College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota

23 Colleges in Minnesota
2,120 Associate Degrees
$65,685 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #2 in popularity, nursing is one of the most sought-after associate degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual looked at 23 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 2,120 associate degrees in nursing during the 2022-2023 academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Nursing School for Your Associate Degree

Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota Your choice of nursing for getting your associate degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their associate degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for nursing students working on their associate degree.

More Ways to Rank Nursing Schools

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Nursing Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The nursing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Nursing in Minnesota

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in nursing.

10 Top Minnesota Schools for an Associate in Nursing

1
711 Annual Graduates
$68,119 Median Starting Salary
$17,700 Median Student Debt

Any student who is interested in an associate degree in nursing needs to check out Rasmussen University - Minnesota. Located in the small city of St. Cloud, Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a private for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.

Those nursing students who get their associate degree from Rasmussen University - Minnesota receive $2,434 more than the typical nursing student.

More information about a associate in nursing from Rasmussen University - Minnesota

2

Every student who is interested in an associate degree in nursing needs to take a look at Rochester Community and Technical College. Located in the medium-sized city of Rochester, Rochester Community and Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

Associate recipients from the nursing major at Rochester Community and Technical College earn $4,335 more than the average graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a associate in nursing from Rochester Community and Technical College

3

It is difficult to beat Minneapolis Community and Technical College if you wish to pursue an associate degree in nursing. Located in the city of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Community and Technical College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

After graduating, nursing associate recipients typically earn about $61,817 in their early careers.

More information about a associate in nursing from Minneapolis Community and Technical College

4

Northland Community and Technical College is a good decision for individuals interested in an associate degree in nursing. Northland Community and Technical College is a small public college located in the town of Thief River Falls.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career earnings of $67,075.

More information about a associate in nursing from Northland Community and Technical College

5
Century College crest
Century College
White Bear Lake, MN

Century College is a medium-sized public college located in the large suburb of White Bear Lake.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career income of $66,512.

More information about a associate in nursing from Century College

6

Located in the remote town of Bemidji, NTC is a public college with a fairly small student population.

Those nursing students who get their associate degree from Northwest Technical College receive $7,093 more than the typical nursing graduate.

More information about a associate in nursing from Northwest Technical College

7

Located in the suburb of Coon Rapids, Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career income of $66,484.

More information about a associate in nursing from Anoka-Ramsey Community College

8
Ridgewater College crest
Ridgewater College
Willmar, MN

Located in the town of Willmar, Ridgewater College is a public college with a small student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career earnings of $59,082.

More information about a associate in nursing from Ridgewater College

9

North Hennepin Community College is a moderately-sized public college located in the suburb of Brooklyn Park.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program state that they receive average early career earnings of $67,312.

More information about a associate in nursing from North Hennepin Community College

10

Located in the town of Hibbing, Hibbing Community College is a public college with a small student population.

After graduation, nursing associate recipients typically make around $61,116 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in nursing from Hibbing Community College

Best Nursing Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Nursing Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Kansas 146 868
Missouri 117 1,409
Iowa 116 1,152
Nebraska 98 265
South Dakota 93 114
North Dakota 92 287

View All Rankings >

Nursing is one of 34 different types of Health Professions programs to choose from.

Nursing Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 2,120

Related Major Annual Graduates
Allied Health Professions 510
Dental Support Services 336
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 309
Health & Medical Administrative Services 197
Health Sciences & Services 150
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science 87
Mental & Social Health Services 48
Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions 23
Somatic Bodywork & Therapeutic Services 22
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 19

Notes and References

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options