Accolades continue to pour in for Northwest Technical College’s nursing programs, as website EduMed.org has ranked NTC’s associate’s degree programs among the nation’s best.
In total, two NTC programs were named Best in Minnesota, and three ranked among the top 20 programs in the nation — including the online degree-completion bridge program for licensed practical nurses (LPN) seeking their registered nurse (RN) certification, which EduMed ranked as the third-best in the nation. NTC’s rankings were:
- Best in Minnesota, two-year schools: Online LPN-to-RN bridge program; online RN program
- National: Online LPN-to-RN bridge program (3rd); online associate’s degree in nursing (15th); online RN program (18th)
NTC’s Nursing Programs
NTC’S nursing programs are fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Bemidji’s technical college received initial accreditation for its associate and practical nursing programs in 2019. Initial accreditation indicates a determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that NTC’s programs comply with all relevant accreditation standards.
NTC’s programs are flexible; courses are offered online and asynchronously, meaning students can complete coursework as their schedules allow. Students come to campus for labs once per month, and have on-site clinical experience requirements as well.
Fully 100% of NTC’s 2021 graduates from the associate’s degree and LPN step-in nursing programs who were seeking employment as nurses were employed in the field within a year of graduation.
Associate’s Degree in Nursing
NTC’s 64-credit associate of science degree in nursing is for students who have completed a nursing assistant course or by certified nursing assistants (CNA) and can be completed in two years. The course also stacks and transfers directly into Bemidji State University’s bachelor’s degree program in nursing.
LPN Step-In Program
Current licensed practical nurses can complete their RN in three semesters through NTC’s 64-credit step-in program. Graduates may apply for licensure as RNs or transfer to Bemidji State University and pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
About the EduMed Rankings
EduMed’s rankings are based on self-reported data available through the federal government’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The website ranks schools and programs by looking at the number of online programs in a relevant subject area and a school’s percentage of online students, while also factoring in cost, levels of institutional grant aid, student-to-faculty ratios and the existence of academic counseling and career-placement services on campuses.