Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Normandale Community College

Minnesota's nursing assistant and practical nursing programs cluster tightly in the low-to-mid-$40,000s for first-year earnings, and Normandale appears to fall right in the middle of this pack. Based on comparable programs at similar Minnesota community colleges, graduates here likely earn around $43,000 in their first year—nearly identical to the state median but trailing the state's stronger programs by $5,000-$6,000 annually. That gap matters when you're carrying debt.

The estimated $18,600 in debt sits right at Minnesota's median for these certificates but runs about $4,000 higher than the national benchmark. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43, graduates would dedicate roughly 5-6 months of gross income to paying off their loans—manageable, but not exceptional given that peer programs in Minnesota produce similar earnings with less debt. The stronger performers in the state appear to deliver both better earnings and comparable or lower debt loads, though without actual Normandale outcomes, it's difficult to know whether this program's structure or clinical placements might differentiate it.

The practical takeaway: this looks like a middle-of-the-pack option in a state with several demonstrably stronger alternatives. If you're comparing offers, ask Normandale directly about their pass rates, clinical site partnerships, and actual placement outcomes—the estimated figures suggest competent but unremarkable performance, so school-specific data becomes crucial.