Minnesota's Best Nursing Schools for 2020

Normandale Community College is located in Bloomington, Minnesota.  They offer an ADN program.  While there is not a specific LPN to RN program, LPNs do take a separate transitions course in place of a 9 credit foundations course.  Normandale nursing students can also earn their BSN in conjunction with various partnerships with neighboring colleges.

Inver Hills Community College is located in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.  They offer an ADN and a BSN degree.  Inver Hills Community College helped to develop the Minnesota Alliance for Nursing Education (MANE) curriculum, which “encourages a deep understanding of key nursing concepts while addressing the changing health care environment.”

Rochester Community and Technical College is located in Rochester, Minnesota.  They offer an ADN degree.  There is not a separate LPN to RN program, but LPNs are given advanced placement based on their past education and licensure.

North Hennepin Community College is located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.  They offer an ASN and an ASN – Advanced Standing.  The Advanced Standing is their LPN to RN program.  NHCC students may enroll in a partner school with the Minnesota Alliance for Nursing Education, which would enable them to complete three semesters post-graduation, allowing them to earn their BSN.

Anoka-Rapids Community College is located in Coon Rapids, Minnesota.  They offer a traditional RN track and an LPN to RN track.  They have articulation agreements with Minnesota State University – Moorhead, Minnesota State University – Mankato, and Winona State University.

Concordia College is located in Moorhead, Minnesota.  They offer both a traditional BSN program and an accelerated BSN program; their accelerated BSN program is offered to students with a prior bachelor’s degree.  Their program is unique in that students occasionally get to travel abroad as a nursing outreach program.

Crown College is located in Bonifacius, Minnesota.  It is a private Christian College offering a BSN degree.  The BSN program is a biblically-based nursing education, including a Christian core of classes, in addition to nursing classes and other core classes.

St. Cloud State University is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota.  They offer both a BSN and an RN to BSN program.  St. Cloud State University is proud to note that they offer education to over 700 student veterans and active military servicemen and servicewomen.

Winona State University is located in Winona, Minnesota.  They offer a pre-licensure program (a BSN program) and an RN-BSN completion program.  They are proud to note that 96% of their 2012-13 graduates have job placement as RNs.

Bemidji State University is located in Bemidji, Minnesota.  They offer a BSN program and an RN to BSN program.  They also offer a study abroad program in May, where students have the ability to travel to South Africa, in conjunction with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.