NurseSavvy ranking · Minnesota · updated October 10, 2026

Best Nursing Schools in Minnesota (2026): The NurseSavvy Top 10

We ranked all 61 RN programs in Minnesota that publish a first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, on the four things that decide whether a program gets you to a nursing license you can afford: passing the NCLEX, actually finishing, the cost next to what nurses earn in Minnesota, and what graduates earn a year out.

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota comes out on top. Here are the top 10, with every number’s source — and you can re-rank them by what matters to you.

No school can pay for placement. Public data only — see the full methodology.

Rank it your way

Rank Minnesota’s 61 RN programs on what matters to you

NCLEX pass rate, students who finish, cost vs nurse pay, grads’ early pay — compare in-state, by region, or nationwide.

The top 10 nursing programs in Minnesota

Scores are out of 100 under the default NurseSavvy weights. A school with two programs (say, an ADN and a BSN) can appear twice.

1
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
WinonaBachelor of Science in Nursing (Baccalaureate Degree section)· Private nonprofit
79score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$11,704/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$84,323 1 yr out
2
Bethany Lutheran College
MankatoBachelor of Science in Nursing (Baccalaureate Degree section)· Private nonprofit
74score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$20,148/yr net price
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
3
Concordia College Nursing Program
MoorheadBaccalaureate Degree (no program name printed; listed under 'Licensure-preparing Programs Leading to a Baccalaureate Degree')
72score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
4
Crown College
St BonifaciusBaccalaureate Nursing Program (Baccalaureate Degree section)· Private nonprofit
66score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$26,672/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$63,539 1 yr out
5
Minnesota State University, Mankato
MankatoSchool of Nursing (Baccalaureate Degree section)· Public
65score
A 92.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
92.8%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$19,139/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$75,655 1 yr out
6
Bemidji State University
BemidjiBaccalaureate Nursing Program (Baccalaureate Degree section)· Public
64score
A 89.7% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
89.7%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$15,261/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$77,639 1 yr out
7
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
St. JosephDepartment of Nursing (Baccalaureate Degree section)
61score
A 90.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
90.8%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
8
South Central College
North MankatoAssociate Degree Nursing Program (Associate Degree section)· Public
61score
A 95.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
95.8%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$9,082/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$60,434 1 yr out
9
South Central College
FaribaultAssociate Degree Nursing Program (Associate Degree section)· Public
61score
A 95.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
95.8%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$9,082/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$60,434 1 yr out
10
Bethel University
St. PaulNursing Department (Baccalaureate Degree section)· Private nonprofit
61score
A 93.1% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
93.1%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$28,556/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$75,371 1 yr out

Fill-in: a figure the program hasn’t published is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs that publish it (same degree type) — not its own number.

All 105 approved programs in Minnesota Full rankings table

The Minnesota leaders on each measure

Different students weigh these differently — here is who leads on each one alone, among programs that publish it.

Highest NCLEX pass rate: Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Baccalaureate Degree section)), 100% first-time.
Lowest average net price: Riverland Community College, $7,427/yr.
Highest graduates’ pay: Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, $84,323 one year out.
Top ADN vs top BSN: South Central College (#8 overall) and Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (#1 overall).

No Minnesota RN program in our data has published its own completion rate yet, so every program here scores the completion fill-in.

How we ranked Minnesota’s nursing schools

NCLEX pass rate (33%). The 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rate from the Minnesota board of nursing, steadied for small cohorts.
Students who finish (33%). The program’s own on-time completion rate, where a board or the program publishes it.
Cost vs nurse pay (20%). Average net price per year next to Minnesota’s median RN pay (College Scorecard + BLS).
Graduates’ early pay (14%). What the program’s nursing graduates earn one year out, next to the state’s RN median.

A missing figure is a labeled 33rd-percentile fill-in, never a guess. Programs without a published NCLEX rate, and direct-entry master’s programs, are not ranked. Every formula and source →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best nursing school in Minnesota?

Under the NurseSavvy ranking, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Baccalaureate Degree section), Winona) ranks #1 of 61 RN programs in Minnesota with a score of 79 out of 100 and a 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate. "Best" depends on what you weigh most — re-rank the list on this page by your own priorities.

How did NurseSavvy rank Minnesota nursing schools?

Every RN program with a published 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is scored 0–100 on four public measures: NCLEX pass rate (33%), students who finish (33%), cost next to local RN pay (20%), and graduates’ pay one year out (14%). Pass rates come from the Minnesota board of nursing; cost and pay from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

What does “fill-in” mean on this list?

When a program has not published a figure, we do not guess it. It is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs (same degree type) that do publish it — below typical — and labeled “fill-in” wherever it appears. Publishing its real number can only help a program that performs well.

Can a school pay to rank higher?

No. Schools cannot pay, partner, sponsor, or advertise their way to a better rank. Every input is public data, and the same formula applies to every program.