Minnesota — The North Star State
The Accelerated School of Nursing Assistant in Brooklyn Park certifies you in just 3 weeks. The state's Next Generation Nursing Assistant Initiative offers training valued at $1,615 completely free for eligible students. Minnesota is one of the top-paid states in the country for CNAs — with a fraction of the cost of living of coastal competitors.
Minnesota has genuinely fast options concentrated in the Twin Cities metro. The Accelerated School of Nursing Assistant (ASNA) in Brooklyn Park certifies students in just 3 weeks with flexible morning, evening, and weekend scheduling. HeartCert in the Twin Cities runs a hybrid program — 43 hours online plus in-person sessions — that can be completed in less than a month. Several community and technical colleges, including Alexandria Technical & Community College, run 4-week accelerated programs with 100% attendance requirements.
Minnesota requires a minimum of 75 training hours, including at least 16 hours of supervised clinical practice completed in person — theory can be delivered online, but hands-on skills cannot. The competency exam is the Minnesota Nursing Assistant Competency Exam (MN-NACE), equivalent to the NNAAP used in 18 other states, administered by Headmaster (D&S Diversified Technologies) — not Prometric and not Credentia. The knowledge test is 70 questions in 120 minutes (74% to pass), plus a 5-skill practical evaluation. Total exam cost runs $250 to $265.
Use our verified school locator below to instantly find MDH-approved programs starting near your zip code — from the Twin Cities to Duluth, Rochester, and rural Minnesota communities.
Speed comparison
Minnesota's Twin Cities metro is dense with speed options, and the state-funded Next Generation Nursing Assistant Initiative removes cost as a barrier entirely for eligible students. Here are Minnesota's fastest CNA programs ranked by speed.
| Program / School | Location | Speed | Cost | What Makes It Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accelerated School of Nursing Assistant (ASNA) | Brooklyn Park (Twin Cities) | ⚡ 3 weeks (fastest in MN) | Contact for tuition | Morning, evening, and weekend scheduling. Job placement assistance and NCLEX tutorials for those planning to advance later. |
| HeartCert CPR Twin Cities | Twin Cities metro | < 1 month — hybrid | $1,500 all-inclusive | 43 hours online coursework required before in-person classes. Weekly class offerings at multiple Twin Cities locations. |
| Next Generation Nursing Assistant Initiative | Statewide (multiple partner schools) | 4 weeks — 100% attendance required | FREE — valued at $1,615 | State-funded training and testing for eligible students. Strong employer hiring-partner connections built in. |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College | Alexandria | 4 weeks — 84 hours | Course fees cover materials + testing | Mandatory full attendance due to accelerated format. Covers tuition, materials, background study, and skills training. |
| Hutchinson/Willmar Campuses (Ridgewater College) | Hutchinson and Willmar | 5 weeks | Contact for tuition | Includes Home Health Aide curriculum. State-of-the-art simulation labs and multiple start dates yearly. |
| Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College | Cloquet (near Duluth) | 75-hour hybrid accelerated | Contact for tuition | Includes 16 clinical hours. Hybrid format for flexibility while positioning graduates for immediate employment. |
Minnesota's Next Generation Nursing Assistant Initiative funds training and testing valued at $1,615 completely free for eligible students, and comes with strong employer hiring-partner connections that provide a direct pathway to employment right after training. Combined with a 4-week accelerated timeline, this is one of the strongest speed-plus-cost combinations of any state program in the country.
Per Minnesota law, you can work at a healthcare facility while completing your training and competency evaluation program — as long as you pass the MN-NACE within 120 days of completing the program. If you don't pass in time, you can no longer be employed at that facility until you do. This gives you a real head start on income while you finish certification, similar to several other states' trainee provisions.
2026 salary data
Minnesota CNAs earn around $22/hr on average statewide — among the top-paid states in the nation, rivaling California, New York, and Connecticut, but with a significantly lower cost of living. Minneapolis, Duluth, and St. Cloud are the highest-paying metro areas.
| City / Area | Avg Hourly | Avg Annual | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis / St. Paul (Twin Cities) | $21–$24/hr | Top 10% ~$50,000 | Ranked among the top-paid cities in the country for nursing assistants. |
| Duluth | $20–$23/hr | ~$41,600–$47,840 | One of the highest-paying metro areas in Minnesota outside the Twin Cities. |
| St. Cloud | $19–$22/hr | ~$39,520–$45,760 | 1,500+ CNAs employed. Consistently ranks among the state's top-paying areas. |
| Rochester | $20–$23/hr | ~$41,600–$47,840 | 5th-highest metro area in the country for CNA job concentration — nearly 3,000 CNAs employed. |
| Statewide average | ~$22/hr ($19.38/hr median) | ~$32,416–$45,760 | 30,000 CNAs employed. One of the highest job-concentration states in the country (1.90 location quotient). |
Sources: BLS OES May 2024, CNAClasses.com Minnesota (2026), CNAOnlineCourse.com. Minnesota's lower cost of living compared to coastal high-wage states means real purchasing power is especially strong here. Actual pay varies by facility, shift, and experience.
Landing your first job
Financial aid & free options
Your next step
Minnesota LPN programs are available through technical colleges statewide, and Riverland Community College's CNA certificate directly fulfills prerequisite coursework for Practical Nursing program applications — a genuine built-in bridge. Because Minnesota's NLC legislation is still pending implementation, an LPN license earned here currently requires separate licensure to practice in other states.
75 hours minimum with 16 clinical hours. MN-NACE exam via Headmaster, $250-$265. Minnesota Nurse Aide Registry. As fast as 3 weeks. Work up to 120 days while completing your exam.
Riverland Community College's CNA certificate fulfills prerequisite courses for Practical Nursing programs. Hennepin Tech and other technical colleges offer direct CNA-to-PN pathways.
University of Minnesota, Augsburg University, and numerous technical college ADN bridge programs statewide. Minnesota's top-tier CNA pay makes working through school more financially viable than in many states.
For moms in Minnesota