Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
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Online programs--
Best Online Nursing Programs in Rochester, MN (2026)
Rochester, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Rochester has a population of about 121,638. Median household income is $87,767 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 50.1% 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 Rochester
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Rochester. Distances are calculated from Rochester city center.
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 Rochester. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Rochester Community and Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Riverland Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Winona State University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Minnesota State College Southeast
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Minnesota schools on the Minnesota nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Rochester
Rochester is part of the Rochester, MN metro area (BLS area code 40340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $101,660 | Rochester, MN | $111,960 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $63,750 | Rochester, MN | $70,209 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $266,190 | MN statewide | $293,161 |
| Nurse Midwife | $134,810 | MN statewide | $148,469 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $126,270 | Rochester, MN | $139,064 |
| Nursing Assistant | $46,840 | Rochester, MN | $51,586 |
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.
Rochester at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 121,638 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $87,767 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 50.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 90.8 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Rochester-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Austin, MN – 34.3 mi away (25,105 pop)
- Owatonna, MN – 37.8 mi away (25,567 pop)
- Winona, MN – 40.2 mi away (30,208 pop)
- Faribault, MN – 44.3 mi away (24,012 pop)
- Northfield, MN – 45.8 mi away (22,005 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Rochester, MN?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Rochester. The closest is Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester, MN (0.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Minnesota State College Southeast (42.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Rochester?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Rochester are: Nurse Anesthetist ($266,190), Nurse Midwife ($134,810), Nurse Practitioner ($126,270). 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 Austin instead of Rochester?
Austin, MN is 34.3 miles from Rochester 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 Rochester an affordable place to study nursing?
Rochester’s median household income of $87,767 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rochester 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
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in Minnesota
- Nursing programs by state
Other Programs Available in Rochester
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Rochester:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
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- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
Data verified: June 11, 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.