Compare tuition, outcomes, and clinical options across Moorhead's accredited nursing programs.
Concordia College and Rasmussen University Moorhead both offer BSN programs, addressing the most frequent question prospective students ask: Is there a nursing school in Moorhead?
The Fargo-Moorhead metro anchors healthcare delivery across the Red River Valley, with demand for nurses consistently outpacing local graduation capacity. This clinical concentration means that Moorhead programs place students in a high-volume hospital network for rotations.
Choosing between private and public BSN tracks involves significant tradeoffs in tuition, NCLEX pass rates, and clinical hours. Local graduates compete alongside candidates from across Minnesota and North Dakota for positions at Sanford Medical Center, Essentia Health, and regional clinics, so school reputation and licensure exam performance carry weight.
Our search for nursing programs within a 75-mile radius of Moorhead returned limited in-town options, so we expanded to include top programs across Minnesota that serve Moorhead-area students through online, hybrid, or regional access. The ranking below balances affordability, graduate earnings, program quality, and local relevance, with special attention to schools offering direct Moorhead pathways like Rasmussen’s nearby School of Nursing campus.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
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| #1 | Rasmussen University-Minnesota | St. Cloud, MN | $18,000/yr | Moorhead-based nursing career ladder | |
Rasmussen University-Minnesota operates a dedicated School of Nursing campus in Moorhead, offering a hybrid Bachelor of Science in Nursing that requires no prerequisites for admission. The university reports a 100% retention rate and a 53.5% overall graduation rate across all programs and campuses. With an average net price of $17,962 and graduates earning a median of $39,080 ten years after enrollment, it provides a flexible career ladder from PN to DNP for local students.
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| #2 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN | $17,000/yr | North Dakota reciprocity savings | |
The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is a public research university with an 85.3% overall graduation rate and a 91% first-year retention rate. Although its campuses are in Minneapolis and Rochester (about four hours from Moorhead), tuition reciprocity sharply reduces costs for North Dakota residents. With a net price of $16,778 and median 10-year earnings of $69,020, it combines Big Ten resources with a highly regarded BSN program.
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| #3 | Alexandria Technical & Community College | Alexandria, MN | $14,000/yr (net price) | Affordable two-year ADN option | |
Alexandria Technical & Community College is a public two-year school roughly 90 minutes east of Moorhead. Its Associate Degree in Nursing builds on an active LPN license and leads to RN eligibility. The college reports a 60% overall graduation rate, a net price of $13,691, and strong job placement outcomes, making it an affordable step for working LPNs.
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| #4 | University of St Thomas | Saint Paul, MN | $29,000/yr | ||
The University of St. Thomas is a private Catholic institution in Saint Paul with a 76.4% overall graduation rate. Its net price after aid averages $29,155, and graduates earn a strong median of $73,739 ten years later, reflecting the university's emphasis on whole-person care and leadership in nursing.
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| #5 | Riverland Community College | Austin, MN | $7,000/yr (net price) | ||
Riverland Community College in Austin, MN offers an affordable public ADN pathway with a net price of just $7,427. While the campus is over four hours from Moorhead, its low cost and ACEN-accredited program may appeal to students willing to relocate for a 24-month RN track.
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| #6 | Saint Johns University | Collegeville, MN | $26,000/yr | ||
Saint John's University, a private men's college in Collegeville, partners with the College of Saint Benedict to offer a BSN program. The university has a 75.4% overall graduation rate, a net price of $25,672, and graduates who earn a high median of $76,786 ten years after enrollment.
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| #7 | The College of Saint Scholastica | Duluth, MN | $28,000/yr (net price) | ||
The College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth is a private Catholic institution known as a top nursing talent provider in Minnesota. It reports a 70.5% overall graduation rate and a net price of $27,846; graduates earn a median of $65,934 after ten years.
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| #8 | College of Saint Benedict | Saint Joseph, MN | $27,000/yr (net price) | ||
The College of Saint Benedict is a private women's college in St. Joseph with a 77.1% overall graduation rate. It offers a BSN in partnership with Saint John's University, with a net price of $26,640 and strong graduate outcomes.
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| #9 | Bethel University | Saint Paul, MN | $29,000/yr (net price) | ||
Bethel University is a private Christian university in Saint Paul with a 71.4% overall graduation rate. Its nursing programs, including a traditional BSN and an accelerated post-baccalaureate track, emphasize faith integration and have a net price of $28,556.
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| #10 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | Winona, MN | $12,000/yr (net price) | ||
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona is a private Lasallian Catholic institution with a 66% overall graduation rate. With a remarkably low net price of $11,704 after financial aid, it offers an affordable BSN that includes over 500 clinical hours.
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When researching nursing schools, use authoritative sources to make informed decisions. Government earnings data from BLS.gov, detailed program requirements on school websites, and accreditation status from professional nursing bodies ensure your comparison is based on reliable facts.
For Moorhead nursing students, the cost of a BSN often means weighing the higher upfront price of a private bachelor’s degree against the lower-cost, faster-entry route of an associate degree from a public community college.
The sticker price can be misleading. Public community colleges like Riverland Community College list annual tuition at $6,298, with an institution-wide net price averaging just $7,427, nearly identical to the published rate and a bargain by any measure. In contrast, Saint Mary’s University, one of the few private BSN options accessible to Moorhead students, carries a published tuition of $45,080, but after grants and scholarships the average net price drops to $11,704, roughly on par with the net price at several public community colleges. For an apples-to-apples Moorhead BSN tuition comparison, the key takeaway is that a private BSN can be surprisingly affordable once aid is factored in, though the upfront investment remains substantial. Net price figures are institution-wide averages; nursing students should budget extra for lab fees, clinical supplies, and testing materials, which can add $500 to $1,000 per semester.
Median federal loan debt for graduates of the community college ADN programs in this region hovers around $12,000. By comparison, Saint Mary’s BSN graduates leave with a median debt of $21,500, higher but still manageable relative to projected nursing salaries. In Minnesota, associate degree nursing graduates typically carry less debt than their BSN counterparts, and the figures here reflect that pattern. Saint Mary’s debt load sits below the national median for private four-year nursing programs, though actual debt can vary based on individual financial aid packages. Keep in mind that all public community colleges in this dataset charge the same tuition regardless of residency, so North Dakota students and others from out of state are not penalized. Ultimately, the return on investment for either pathway is strong, with nursing salaries quickly offsetting the educational debt.
The Minnesota Board of Nursing publishes first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for all approved programs. In 2022, Concordia College reported a pass rate of 89.74% among its 39 candidates, while Rasmussen University Moorhead reported 43.59% for 117 candidates.1 Concordia’s accelerated nursing track achieved a perfect 100% pass rate for its first cohort in 2025.2 Minnesota State University Moorhead’s program-specific data was not included in the most recent state board release.
National averages help contextualize these figures. In 2022, the overall U.S. first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for BSN graduates was approximately 82%. Concordia exceeded that benchmark, while Rasmussen fell significantly below. A pass rate below 50% signals potential challenges in curriculum alignment or student support.
Rasmussen University Moorhead holds an “Approved with Correction Order” designation from the Minnesota Board of Nursing as of 2025.3 This status means the program is still approved and students can continue to enroll, graduate, and sit for the NCLEX. However, it also indicates that the board has identified areas needing improvement, often related to curriculum, clinical placements, or administrative practices. The program must submit and implement a corrective plan. Prospective students should ask about the status and what changes are underway.
Long-term earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education provides a broader outcomes picture. For Concordia College nursing graduates, the median earnings 10 years after entry are $59,317. Early-career earnings figures are not yet available through the federal College Scorecard for most local programs. For context, the national median annual wage for registered nurses was $86,070 in May 2023. Individual earnings vary by specialty, location, and experience. Nurses who pursue advanced certifications or graduate degrees often see substantial increases over time.
Choosing a nursing program means weighing the depth of clinical exposure against the demands those hours place on your schedule.
The Fargo-Moorhead metro is a healthcare anchor for the Red River Valley, giving nursing students in RN to BSN programs in Minnesota access to major health systems without needing to travel far. Sanford Health operates a large medical center and numerous specialty clinics in the area, while Essentia Health has a strong presence on both sides of the river. The Fargo VA Health Care System adds an important dimension, offering experience with veteran populations and government-run care models. These three systems collectively provide the bulk of acute care, outpatient, and long-term care rotations across local programs.
Concordia College, for example, requires more than 500 clinical hours in its traditional BSN track, with a student-to-faculty ratio of just 1:8 during clinicals.1 Beyond standard medical-surgical units, students rotate through public health departments, home health agencies, hospice facilities, homeless clinics, and faith-community nursing sites. The program also describes access to a variety of specialty rotations "across the lifespan," meaning exposure to pediatrics, critical care, behavioral health, and other high-demand areas is built into the curriculum. Both Minnesota State University Moorhead and Rasmussen University’s Moorhead campus also draw on the same regional healthcare network, though each program tailors its rotation calendar and specialty offerings to its own curricular design.
A common question from prospective students is whether they can hold a job while completing clinical requirements. The honest answer: it is possible but rarely easy. Clinical schedules are typically set by the partner hospital or agency and may include day, evening, or weekend shifts that change each semester. Some students manage part-time work by carefully selecting flexible employment, but full-time jobs are often incompatible with the rigors of clinical rotations, classroom time, and study demands. Advisors at each Moorhead nursing school can help map out semester-by-semester commitments, and some programs may have formal policies about outside employment during intensive clinical blocks; it is wise to ask directly before enrolling.
What GPA do you need to get into a BSN program in Moorhead? Entry requirements differ by school and track, but several clear patterns emerge for aspiring nurses.
MSUM and Rasmussen Moorhead set their own GPA thresholds and may require the TEAS or HESI, so confirm directly with each program before applying. All BSN tracks expect strong grades in required science courses such as anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and chemistry.
Other Moorhead programs often have earlier deadlines or rolling admissions, so it’s wise to begin your application process at least 12 to 14 months before your intended start date.
MSUM’s traditional BSN also spans four years, while Rasmussen may offer both standard and accelerated pathways with multiple start dates each year.
Admission to nursing programs is selective across the board. While school-wide acceptance rates for Moorhead institutions are not published separately for nursing, Concordia’s nursing-specific GPA minimums give a realistic benchmark: you’ll need a solid academic record, especially in prerequisite sciences. Space is limited, and meeting the minimum does not guarantee a seat. Strengthen your application with healthcare experience, strong recommendation letters, and a well-crafted personal statement.
Prospective nursing students in Moorhead often have questions about program options, timelines, and outcomes. Here are answers to some of the most common inquiries.
