Best BSN Programs in MN in 2024 (Online & On-Campus)

If you’re looking for nursing schools in Minnesota, you’re in luck. Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing industries in America, including the state of Minnesota. This is reflected in the growing need for registered nurses and the resultant increased demand for BSN Programs in MN.  According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, within the next five years, the job market for registered nurses in Minnesota will expand by approximately 15% or at least 2000 positions each year until 2025.  This is mainly due to the aging baby boomer population and the increasing incidence of debilitating chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, arthritis, and hypertension.

Nursing programs in MN can lead you to a challenging career that is not only very stable but which also provides an excellent yearly salary.  Currently, the average annual salary for a registered nurse in Minnesota is  $77,540 compared to a national median average for registered nurses of $70,000 a year.

In addition to general medical or surgical nursing, there are many different career advancement options available to those in the field of nursing in the state of Minnesota. Some of the nursing specialty options include becoming: a Psych Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, a Nursing Educator, a Nursing Administrator, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, a Community Health Nurse, a Perinatal Nurse, a Flight Nurse, a Nurse Midwife, a Family Nurse Practitioner, a Trauma Nurse, a Travel Nurse, a Nurse Midwife, and a Nurse Manager.  RNs interested in teaching or in research can also obtain a master’s degree or Ph.D. in nursing. (see nursing careers)

How to Become an RN in Minnesota

In order to become an RN in Minnesota, applicants must have obtained a bachelor’s degree from a nursing program approved by the Minnesota State Board of Nursing. After obtaining their nursing degree, applicants must then successfully pass the NCLEX-RN exam before applying for licensure. Fees for RN licensure in Minnesota include an application fee of $105 with an additional $33.25 required for a criminal background check.

Choosing the Best BSN programs in Minnesota for You

When choosing which nursing school in Minnesota is best for you, you should carefully consider the following important factors when evaluating each school:

·         The NCLEX-RN Exam Pass Rate

The NCLEX-RN Exam is a national registered nursing licensure computer exam that is scored on a pass-fail system.

This exam consists of 4 major categories and 8 sub-categories of questions with the questions being mainly multiple choice with 4 possible choices. There are also fill-in-the-blank questions on the NCLEX–RN exam which lasts up to 6 hours.

·         The length of the program or the number of accredited hours required

·         The admission prerequisites

·         The Accreditation

The main national nursing school accrediting body that accredits nursing schools in Minnesota is the CCNE.

Here are the top BSN Programs in MN

1. University of Northwestern 

Our pick for the #1 BSN Program in MN is the University of Northwestern-St. Paul School of Nursing located at 3003 Snelling Ave N, St. Paul, MN 55113 which is close to downtown St. Paul.  It offers a BSN program that features small classes and has an impressive employment rate of 100% within 6 months of graduation. The BSN program at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul School of Nursing is biblically-based with a liberal arts and sciences emphasis. The BSN program in MN at the University of Northwestern has 2 different pathways to graduation: the traditional pathway and the accelerated pathway which usually takes approximately 12 months to complete.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 100%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years, 134-138 credits
• Program Tuition –  $16,249 per semester with a clinical fee per clinical course of $525 and a Nursing ATI fee per term of $600
• Accreditation – CCNE

2. University of Minnesota 

The University of Minnesota – Twin Cities Nursing Program is located at 5-140 Weaver-Densford Hall, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. This BSN nursing program works with premier hospitals and has a top-ranked nursing faculty. The first year of study consists of prerequisite courses and 2 introductory nursing courses. The following 3 years of study consist of sequenced nursing courses and placement in various clinical settings. They also offer an MSN program.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 92.82%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition –  $15,542 per semester with books and supplies cost of $1000
• Accreditation –  CCNE

3. Concordia  College 

Concordia College is located at 901 8^th St. S., Moorhead, MN 56562. Concordia College’s Nursing Program offers a traditional BA program in nursing as well as an accelerated program for those nursing students who already hold a BA degree in a non-nursing field. This program encompasses 700 hours of clinical experience and graduates have a 100% employment rate within 1 year of graduation.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 94%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition –  $42,750 with a book fee per term of $800
• Accreditation – CCNE

4. Winona State University 

Winona State University is located at 2004 Randolph Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105. This program has a 96% job placement rate. Its facilities include a large patient simulation suite.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 91.63%
• Program length –  4 years
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program Tuition
  • Resident – $8,698 per semester with a laptop and Tech Support fee of $970 Program Tuition
  • Non-Resident – $14,798 per semester with a laptop and Tech support fee of $970
• Accreditation – CCNE

5. St. Catherine University 

St. Catherine University is located at 2004 Randolph Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105. St. Catherine’s is the largest catholic women’s college in the United States and has been in existence for over 80 years. Most nursing students take 32 credits per year. Application requirements include a high school transcript, letters of recommendation, ACT or SAT scores and a personal statement.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 100%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years, 32 credits per year
• Program Tuition –  $ 42,976 including living expenses
• Average grants – $27, 500
• Accreditation – ACEN

6. St. Cloud State University 

St. Cloud University is located at 720 4^th Ave S, St. Cloud, MN 56301. This program has advanced simulation labs and an outstanding nursing faculty.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 95%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition
  • Resident – $9,792 per semester
  • Non-Resident – $13,938
• Books and supplies – $600
• Average grants – $27, 500
• Accreditation – CCNE

7. College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University 

The College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University is located at 37 South College Avenue, St. Joseph, MN 56374. They have had a long history of nursing education excellence for the last 40 years. They offer a BSN program with a major in nursing. This nursing program has been highly ranked by College Factual. Students in this program combine their nursing education with a liberal arts education which emphasizes a Catholic and Benedictine curriculum. CSB/SJU has just completed a 2.5 million dollar renovation of its nursing simulation laboratory.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 90%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition
  • Resident – $9,792 per semester
  • Non-Resident – $13,938
• Accreditation – CCNE

8. Bethel University 

Bethel University is located at 3900 Bethel Dr, St. Paul, MN 55112. Bethel University has been educating nursing students for the last 30 years. Most nursing faculty at Bethel University are well known nationally and have doctoral degrees.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 100%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition –  $38,300
• Accreditation – CCNE

9.  Minnesota State University 

Minnesota State University is located at 228 Wiecking Center, Mankato, MN 56001. It was founded in 1868 and is 85 miles southwest of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The Minnesota State University–Mankato Nursing BSN Program is well known for the Maverick Family Nursing Simulation Center which is 13000 square feet with 13 high fidelity mannikins ranging from newborns to adults.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 88.47%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition –  $8,438 per semester
• Accreditation – CCNE

10. Rasmussen College 

Rasmussen College is located at 1400 Madison Ave. Mankato, MN 56001. Rasmussen College–Mankato Nursing program provides “affordable degrees for the real world.” This program offers an associate degree in nursing as well as a BSN degree.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 88.47%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition –  $8,438 per semester
• Accreditation – CCNE

11. Crown College 

Crown College is located at 8700 College View Dr, St. Bonifacius, MN 55375. Its nursing program offers nursing education with an emphasis on Christian compassion and service. Crown College’s teaching staff is superbly qualified and combines their clinical experiences with their compassion for patients.  This program also offers a new online nursing degree program and an updated Nursing Intervention Lab.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 86.67%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition –  $27,270
• Accreditation – CCNE

12. St. Olaf College

St. Olaf College is a small not-for-profit school located at 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057. St. Olaf College offers a holistic approach to nursing education and has several requirements for direct admission into the nursing program including a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.85, all prerequisites passed with a cumulative GPA of 2.70, only 1 prerequisite course with a final grade of a C- or less, and the completion of 4 prerequisite courses by the completion of the fall semester in the second year.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 86.67%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition –  $49,710 per year
• Accreditation – CCNE

13. College of St. Scholastica

The College of St. Scholastica is located at 1200 Kenwood Ave, Duluth MN 55811. It is an independent private college that was started in 1912. The College of St. Scholastica Nursing Program has been educating nurses for over 100 years.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 85.08%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition
  • Resident –  $36,614 per year
  • Non-Resident – $36,614
• Accreditation – CCNE

14. Gustavus Adolphus College

Gustavus Adolphus College is located at 800 West College Ave, Saint Peter, MN 56082. Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college with a strong Swedish and Lutheran heritage which is affiliated with the Lutheran Church of America. Their BSN Nursing Program was founded in 1956.

• NCLEX RN Exam Pass Rate: 89.29%
• Admission Requirements – Prerequisites
• Program length –  4 years
• Program Tuition –  $47,040 per year
• Accreditation – CCNE

Methodology

In ranking the best BSN Programs in MN we took into consideration the schools with the top NCLEX-RN pass rates, the length of each program, the amount of tuition, the graduation rate, student ratings, student to faculty ratios and if the school was accredited.

We understand that other factors can also affect the ranking of nursing schools and welcome any suggestions, recommendations or additions to the list. Please send any comments or questions you have about the BSN programs in MN via our contact form.