How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Minnesota

Becoming a licensed practical nurse in Minnesota makes excellent sense.

Minnesota’s current two percent unemployment rate beats the national average by 1.6 percent as of May 2021.

As a result, Minnesota has the most significant demand for registered nurses, and its licensed practical nurses can fill those gaps while pursuing the necessary education to upgrade their skills.

LPN Industry Facts

Nationwide, skilled nursing facilities have the highest concentration of LPNs. After those, the most increased employment opportunities are in home health care services, physicians’ offices, general medical and surgical hospitals, continuing care retirement communities, and assisted living facilities.

As in other states, Minnesota’s LPNs work under the supervision or direction of a physician, registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, or other licensed health care provider.

Prerequisites for Minnesota LPN Training

LPN schools adhere to the Nurse Practice Act when determining readiness to begin classes.

However, Minnesota LPN program students do not have to be 18 years old.

Nevertheless, Minnesota nursing schools require taking the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills.

In addition, you must complete the following prerequisite courses before acceptance into LPN training in Minnesota:

• College Composition
• Health & Disease in the Human Body OR General Biology
• Anatomy & Physiology I
• Anatomy & Physiology II
• Medical Dosages
• Medical Terminology
• Pharmacology

Five Licensed Practical Nurse Schools in Minnesota

Pine Technical and Community College

Among the lower-cost choices, PTCC tuition costs $5805 from 2022 to 2023.

However, this does not include books and supplies, room and board, transportation, or personal expenses.

According to their estimates, tuition quickly reached $22,243. So instead, opt for a combination of grants and scholarships.

PTCC will award just one of these scholarships per student per year:

• Workforce Development Scholarship
• Pine County College Initiative Scholarship
• Frandsen Family Foundation Scholarship
• Kick Start Scholarship
• Bridging the Dream Scholarship

Visit the campus at  900 Fourth St. SE in Pine City and then call 320-629-5100 or email information@pine.edu to start your application.

Alexandria Technical and Community College

Located at 1601 Jefferson Street in Alexandria, the highly-rated ATCC requires its LPN enrollees to obtain a Minnesota CNA license before acceptance into the program.

Students can receive their LPN within two, three, or four semesters.

In addition, you must provide proof of:

• American Heart Association (AHA) BLS CPR certification
• AHA First Aid Certification
• Must pass a Department of Human Services Background Check

All LPN students must take Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology, Interpersonal Communication, and Personal Computer Skills in their first semester.

Tuition and fees for the 36 credits will run approximately $4000: $650 for books, $2,121 for course fees, and $1229 for other costs.

Call 320-762-0221 or email go@alextech.edu to arrange a visit.

Rasmussen University

111 Rasmussen students passed the 2021 NCLEX-PN exam.

You can finish the program in 12 months with no prerequisites.

You will take English composition, algebra, and Structure and Function of the Human Body along with Introduction to Nursing, followed by another 40 major and core credits.

With five campuses to choose from, in Eagan at 1305 Corporate Center Drive, Brooklyn Park at 5555 96th Avenue North, Mankato at 1400 Madison Avenue, Moorhead at 1250 29th Avenue South, and Saint Cloud at 226 Park Avenue South, you will find Rasmussen within easy distance of your home.

Tuition costs $335 per credit.

Multiply that amount by 56 credits, and you can expect to pay $18,760 tuition plus another $4,795 in fees.

Call 651-687-9000 for Eagan, 763-795-4720 for Hennepin/Anoka, 507-625-6556 for Mankato, 218-304-6200 for Moorhead, or 320-251-5600 for Saint Cloud.

Rochester Community and Technical College

Prospective LPN students must enroll in RCTC, then take and pass the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills.

In addition, students must pass Math 0094 or CHEM 1101, followed by a Nursing Assistant course (NA 1500) if they do not already have an active CNA credential in Minnesota.

Finally, students who do not have an AHA BLS CPR card must take Health 1110 before the semester begins.

Tuition and fees vary by the delivery method:

Apply for the Warren Skaaren scholarship and the Oaks scholarship, grants, and outside awards to help defray these costs.

Call 507-285-7557 or 1‑800‑247‑1296 for additional information.

Lake Superior College

This one-year program costs $5,615 average annual tuition plus additional fees.

Consequently, the program costs approximately $10,000 to complete.

Once offered a seat, nursing students must accept the offer in writing.

Call (218) 733-7600 or 1-800-432-2884, use MRS/TTY: 1-800-627-3529
or Email: info@lsc.edu To visit us at 2101 Trinity Road in Duluth.

Licensed Practical Nurse Schools in Minnesota – Summary Table

LPN Salary in Minnesota

Minnesota’s $51,160 annual mean wage for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses ran $3,090 higher than the national average.

On the other hand, the bottom 10 percent of Minnesota LPNs made $45,180, and the top ten percent earned $60,780, or $3,010 lower than the top ten percent nationally.

Regional Salary in Minnesota