Best Online Nursing Programs in Mankato, MN (2026)

Mankato, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Mankato has a population of about 44,882. Median household income is $64,826 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $266,190 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Mankato

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Mankato, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Mankato city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Mankato. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

South Central College

North Mankato, MN 3.3 miles from Mankato BOC Score 60.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,068
Avg net price $9,082/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Normandale Community College

Bloomington, MN 55.5 miles from Mankato BOC Score 48.8
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,207
Avg net price $12,972/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Dakota County Technical College

Rosemount, MN 59.1 miles from Mankato BOC Score 72.2
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,938
Avg net price $13,548/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,679
Out‑of‑state$6,679
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Riverland Community College

Austin, MN 59.5 miles from Mankato BOC Score 59.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,247
Avg net price $7,427/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Inver Hills Community College

Inver Grove Heights, MN 64.6 miles from Mankato BOC Score 50.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,898
Avg net price $11,636/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,146
Out‑of‑state$6,146
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Minneapolis Community and Technical College

Minneapolis, MN 65.1 miles from Mankato BOC Score 45.5
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,086
Avg net price $13,812/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

St Catherine University

Saint Paul, MN 65.2 miles from Mankato BOC Score 61.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,282
Avg net price $19,764/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Walden University

Minneapolis, MN 66.0 miles from Mankato BOC Score 19.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,810
Avg net price $33,817/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 12%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Minnesota schools on the Minnesota nursing page.


Nursing Wages Near Mankato

Mankato is part of the Mankato, MN metro area (BLS area code 31860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$103,400Mankato, MN$113,626
Licensed Practical Nurse$64,400Mankato, MN$70,769
Nurse Anesthetist$266,190MN statewide$292,516
Nurse Midwife$134,810MN statewide$148,143
Nurse Practitioner$138,580Mankato, MN$152,286
Nursing Assistant$46,430Mankato, MN$51,022

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Mankato at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population44,882Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$64,826Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+36.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Blue Earth County2,770 workers, 74 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Mankato-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Mankato, MN?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Mankato are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Mankato?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Mankato are: Nurse Anesthetist ($266,190), Nurse Practitioner ($138,580), Nurse Midwife ($134,810). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Faribault instead of Mankato?

Faribault, MN is 35.7 miles from Mankato and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Mankato an affordable place to study nursing?

Mankato’s median household income of $64,826 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Mankato while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in Mankato

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Mankato:

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.