Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Rasmussen University-North Dakota

This program delivers something unusual: graduates earn slightly above the national average but rank in just the 25th percentile among North Dakota nursing programs—meaning three-quarters of comparable in-state options produce higher earnings. The state comparison matters here because North Dakota's median LPN earns $60,969, suggesting strong regional demand that this program's graduates aren't fully capturing. Nearby Bismarck State College and Dakota College at Bottineau both place graduates earning around $61,000, roughly $15,000 more than Rasmussen's median.

The positive news is the debt picture: at $21,274, it's manageable relative to first-year earnings, and graduates carry about 40% less debt than typical North Dakota nursing students. With earnings holding steady around $46,000 through year four, that debt becomes very serviceable. However, the minimal earnings growth suggests graduates may be entering roles with limited advancement potential compared to peers at other programs.

For North Dakota families, this creates a straightforward calculation. If your child can access one of the state's higher-performing nursing programs, they're likely looking at an additional $15,000 annually—roughly $60,000 over four years. That gap is substantial enough that it's worth seriously exploring other in-state options first, especially given that those programs typically charge similar or lower tuition based on the debt data.