Western Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in La Crosse, WI (2026)
La Crosse, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. La Crosse has a population of about 51,791. Median household income is $53,803 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $225,450 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to La Crosse
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near La Crosse. Distances are calculated from La Crosse 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 La Crosse. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Minnesota State College Southeast
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Winona State University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Northeast Iowa Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Rochester Community and Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Wisconsin schools on the Wisconsin nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near La Crosse
La Crosse is part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area (BLS area code 29100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $98,370 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $107,157 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $63,950 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $69,662 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $225,450 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $245,588 |
| Nurse Midwife | $133,070 | WI statewide | $144,956 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $125,390 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $136,590 |
| Nursing Assistant | $43,510 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $47,397 |
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.
La Crosse at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,791 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $53,803 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 34.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 91.8 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Nursing-related employment in La Crosse County | 10,237 workers, 52 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other La Crosse-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Winona, MN – 27.0 mi away (30,208 pop)
- Rochester, MN – 63.6 mi away (114,976 pop)
- Eau Claire, WI – 70.1 mi away (106,681 pop)
- Wisconsin Rapids, WI – 79.9 mi away (28,406 pop)
- Austin, MN – 87.8 mi away (25,105 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near La Crosse, WI?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near La Crosse. The closest is Western Technical College in La Crosse, WI (1.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Rochester Community and Technical College (61.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near La Crosse?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near La Crosse are: Nurse Anesthetist ($225,450), Nurse Midwife ($133,070), Nurse Practitioner ($125,390). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Wisconsin statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Winona instead of La Crosse?
Winona, MN is 27.0 miles from La Crosse 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 La Crosse an affordable place to study nursing?
La Crosse’s median household income of $53,803 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in La Crosse while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
- Nursing programs by state
Other Programs Available in La Crosse
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for La Crosse:
- Criminal Justice programs in La Crosse, WI
- Business Administration programs in La Crosse, WI
- Computer Science programs in La Crosse, WI
- Psychology programs in La Crosse, WI
- Education programs in La Crosse, WI
- Engineering programs in La Crosse, WI
- Technology programs in La Crosse, WI
- Liberal Arts programs in La Crosse, WI
- Healthcare programs in La Crosse, WI
- Cybersecurity programs in La Crosse, WI
- Accounting programs in La Crosse, WI
- Healthcare Administration programs in La Crosse, WI
- Social Work programs in La Crosse, WI
- Counseling programs in La Crosse, WI
Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- 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.