Compare costs, NCLEX outcomes, and program formats for East Metro nursing students
Lake Elmo sits just 15 miles east of downtown St. Paul, placing aspiring nurses within easy reach of major Twin Cities employers like M Health Fairview, Allina Health, and Regions Hospital. The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro employs over 35,000 registered nurses, with a mean annual wage of $89,580 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Yet limited program slots and competitive clinical placements in the east metro mean prospective BSN students must weigh quality, cost, and licensure outcomes carefully. For many, the calculus involves commuting to campus-based cohorts or choosing hybrid and online formats that preserve access to metro-area preceptorships.
Lake Elmo residents have access to a strong pipeline of nursing schools within commuting distance, from community college ADN tracks to direct-entry master's programs. The schools below combine rigorous clinical training with flexible formats that fit working students and career changers across the east metro.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Century College | White Bear Lake, MN | $11,000/yr | Budget-conscious east metro commuters | |
Century College, located in adjacent White Bear Lake, offers an ACEN-accredited Associate of Science in Nursing that is among the most affordable and accessible options for Lake Elmo students. The full-time, cohort-based program prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN with strong pass rates and a seamless dual-admission pathway to Minnesota State University Moorhead for a BSN. An LPN/Paramedic advanced standing track further supports working healthcare professionals.
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| #2 | University of St Thomas | Saint Paul, MN | $29,000/yr | Second-degree career changers | |
The University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul combines a CCNE-accredited traditional BSN with a direct-entry MSN for students holding a non-nursing bachelor's degree, making it a versatile choice for Lake Elmo residents. Both tracks emphasize whole-person wellness, health equity, and interprofessional collaboration, with clinical placements across Twin Cities health systems. The university's strong regional reputation and robust financial aid packages add further value.
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| #3 | Bethel University | Saint Paul, MN | $29,000/yr (net price) | Faith-based learners with hybrid flexibility | |
Bethel University, just a short drive from Lake Elmo in Arden Hills, offers a faith-integrated BSN with two distinct tracks: a traditional four-year campus program and a hybrid post-baccalaureate pathway that can be completed in as few as 15 months. Clinical rotations at over 30 Twin Cities agencies and state-of-the-art simulation labs prepare students for licensure, while the Christ-centered curriculum emphasizes compassionate care and ethical decision-making.
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| #4 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN | $17,000/yr | ||
The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities delivers a top-ranked BSN through a rigorous curriculum on its Minneapolis and Rochester campuses, with graduates consistently achieving a 93% NCLEX-RN pass rate. Students benefit from Big Ten resources, lifelong alumni networks, and unique clinical immersion experiences, including rotations at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The program also offers an entry-level Master of Nursing for those with a non-nursing bachelor's.
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| #5 | Metropolitan State University | Saint Paul, MN | $17,000/yr | ||
Metropolitan State University in Saint Paul provides a public, affordable path to nursing with a prelicensure BSN and an entry-level MSN, both focused on health equity and cultural humility. The four-year BSN requires nine prerequisites and a 2.75 GPA, while the hybrid MSN is designed for career changers. Graduates are eligible for RN licensure and Public Health Nurse registration in Minnesota.
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| #6 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | Saint Paul, MN | $28,000/yr | ||
University of Northwestern-St. Paul combines faith and nursing science in a hybrid BSN that reports a 94% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate and 80% job placement within a year. Students complete 476 clinical hours at leading Twin Cities hospitals like M Health Fairview and Mayo Clinic, with options for a standard four-year path or an accelerated track. The program emphasizes servant leadership and spiritual formation alongside clinical skills.
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| #7 | St Catherine University | Saint Paul, MN | $15,000 – $20,000/yr | ||
St. Catherine University's College for Adults offers a hybrid BSN in Saint Paul tailored for working students, with an accelerated 21-month option and a part-time 28-month track. The holistic, social-justice-oriented curriculum includes synchronous evening classes and weekly on-campus labs. Over a century of nursing education leadership and a dedicated scholarship for students committing to underserved areas underscore the program's community impact.
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| #8 | Augsburg University | Minneapolis, MN | $24,000/yr (net price) | ||
Augsburg University in Minneapolis provides an online RN-to-BSN completion program designed for working registered nurses seeking to advance their credentials. The asynchronous format can be completed in as little as 12 months, with a focus on transcultural nursing and health inequities. Practicum hours can be earned abroad through the university's CGEE program, adding a global health perspective.
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| #9 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | Saint Paul, MN | $18,000/yr | ||
Concordia University-Saint Paul runs a CCNE-accredited on-campus BSN that reports a 97.5% job placement rate and an 86.92% NCLEX-RN pass rate. The Christian liberal arts foundation integrates over 700 clinical hours and 270 lab hours, ensuring hands-on preparedness for diverse healthcare settings. Alumni are employed at institutions including Mayo Clinic, underscoring the program's strong reputation in the region.
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| #10 | Pine Technical & Community College | Pine City, MN | $13,000/yr (net price) | ||
Pine Technical & Community College in Pine City offers an NLN CNEA-accredited LPN-to-RN mobility AS program that builds on existing practical nursing experience. The cohort-based, on-campus curriculum prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN and offers a seamless transfer to a BSN through the Operation LEAD partnership with Bemidji State University. Admission requires a current LPN license and a 3.0 GPA in prerequisite coursework.
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We built this ranking to cut through noise and focus on what actually shapes your return on investment. Four data points carry equal weight in our scoring: net price, graduation rate, program format, and median earnings.
Net price, the amount students pay after grants and scholarships drawn from federal IPEDS data, tells you how much you’ll really owe. Graduation rate is institution-wide, not broken out by nursing program, so view it as a reflection of overall student support. Program format captures whether a school offers online, hybrid, or traditional on-campus BSN tracks, which matters if you’re working or commuting from Lake Elmo. Median earnings one year after graduation signal early-career earning power; when a program lacks this data, we state that clearly.
We assign equal weight to each factor to avoid overcomplicating; no single metric dominates, so a lower net price can balance a modest graduation rate, for example. NCLEX pass rates are not part of this formula because they come from the Minnesota Board of Nursing’s separate reports and measure exam mastery rather than cost-effectiveness. The Board lists all approved schools without ranking them; our list is deliberately ordered to help you compare affordability and outcomes side by side, highlighting the best nursing schools in Minnesota.
To help you compare the financial commitment of nursing programs in the region, the table below shows in-state tuition, estimated net price after aid, and median earnings a decade after enrollment for schools near Lake Elmo. Costs vary significantly between public community colleges and private universities, so consider both sticker price and likely net cost when planning your education.
| School | Degree | In-State Tuition | Net Price | Median Earnings (10yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverland Community College | Associate | $6,297 | $7,427 | $45,247 |
| South Central College | Associate | $6,146 | $9,082 | $45,068 |
| St Cloud Technical and Community College | Associate | $6,124 | $9,635 | $46,874 |
| Ridgewater College | Associate | $6,121 | $10,046 | $43,827 |
| Minnesota North College | Associate | $6,022 | $10,432 | $45,570 |
| Minnesota West Community and Technical College | Associate | $6,491 | $11,191 | $45,285 |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | Bachelor's | $45,080 | $11,704 | $58,170 |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College | Associate | $6,236 | $13,691 | $49,393 |
| Central Lakes College-Brainerd | Associate | $6,249 | $13,869 | $42,162 |
| Northland Community and Technical College | Associate | $6,289 | $13,975 | $44,425 |
NCLEX-RN pass rates serve as a critical benchmark for nursing programs. The Minnesota Board of Nursing tracks first-time pass rates for all prelicensure programs in the state, and these numbers are publicly reported.1 When researching schools, look for consistent performance over several years rather than a single data point, as cohort sizes can be small and results may fluctuate.
Here are three BSN programs within reach of the East Metro and their 2025 NCLEX outcomes. All figures represent first-time candidates educated in Minnesota.
For context, the national average first-time pass rate for BSN graduates in 2025 was approximately 88%, according to NCSBN data. Bethel and St. Ben's exceeded this threshold, while Herzing's rate came in below. Keep in mind that pass rates are just one piece of the puzzle: clinical placement quality, instructor support, and total cost also shape your education.
While program-level earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education are not yet available for many nursing programs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a clear picture of RN earning potential in the Twin Cities area. Here's what BSN graduates can expect in the local job market.
Earning your RN license in Minnesota follows a clear sequence of education, examination, and background clearance. Here are the key steps you'll need to complete to begin your nursing career in Lake Elmo.
Navigating the path to becoming a registered nurse in Lake Elmo starts with choosing the right program. Below you'll find answers to common questions about local BSN options, from costs and online availability to admissions requirements and exam performance.
