Rasmussen University
Rasmussen University is a private for-profit higher-education institution offering career-focused associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs, largely online and through campuses in the U.S. Midwest and Florida.
Last updated October 30, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Rasmussen University is an American private for-profit higher-education institution that traces its origins to 1900, when Walter Rasmussen founded a business school in St. Paul, Minnesota. Over more than a century it evolved from a small secretarial and business college into a multi-campus institution offering career-oriented credentials in fields such as nursing and health sciences, business, technology, design, education and the skilled trades. The university is best known for its emphasis on practical, employment-linked programs. Nursing is among its most prominent offerings, alongside allied health, business administration, information technology, criminal justice, early childhood education and design. It delivers instruction through a blend of on-campus sites — concentrated in Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Kansas and Florida — and online learning, which has become an increasingly large share of its enrollment. Ownership has changed hands several times. The institution operated for decades as a family-founded and later private-equity-held chain of career colleges, and it was renamed Rasmussen College before adopting the Rasmussen University name. In 2023 it was acquired by American Public Education, Inc. (APEI), a NASDAQ-listed education company that also operates American Public University System and Hondros College of Nursing. Under APEI, Rasmussen operates as a subsidiary brand within a portfolio of online and career-focused institutions. Like many for-profit colleges, Rasmussen has faced scrutiny over cost, student outcomes and marketing practices, and it has been part of broader policy debates about accountability in higher education. It positions itself as a flexible, career-focused alternative for working adults and non-traditional students seeking degrees and certificates that connect to specific occupations, particularly in healthcare and nursing.
History
Rasmussen University began in 1900 when Walter Rasmussen opened a business school in St. Paul, Minnesota, training students in secretarial, bookkeeping and office skills. The institution grew steadily through the twentieth century as a regional career college, adding programs and campuses as demand for practical, employment-oriented training expanded. By the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries the school, known as Rasmussen College, had broadened its curriculum well beyond business and office administration into nursing, allied health, business management, information technology, criminal justice, education and design. It expanded its physical footprint across the Upper Midwest and into Florida, and it invested heavily in online delivery, which allowed it to serve working adults and students outside its campus regions. Ownership shifted over time. After decades of family and private ownership, the institution passed through private-equity ownership as part of a consolidating for-profit education sector. It rebranded from Rasmussen College to Rasmussen University to reflect its expanded range of bachelor's, master's and doctoral offerings. In 2023, American Public Education, Inc. (APEI), a NASDAQ-listed education company, completed its acquisition of Rasmussen University. The deal folded Rasmussen into a portfolio that includes American Public University System and Hondros College of Nursing, positioning APEI as a larger player in online and career-focused higher education. Under APEI, Rasmussen continues to operate as a distinct brand, emphasizing nursing and healthcare pathways, flexible online learning and partnerships with employers and healthcare providers. Throughout its history the institution has operated within the contested landscape of for-profit higher education, subject to accreditation reviews, regulatory changes and public debate over cost, student debt and graduate outcomes.
- 2023
American Public Education, Inc. acquires Rasmussen University.
- 1900
Walter Rasmussen founds a business school in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Products and positioning
Career-focused, flexible higher education for working adults and non-traditional students, with strong emphasis on nursing and allied health.
Nursing programs
Allied health programs
Business and management degrees
Information technology programs
Online degree programs
Recent events
APEI unveils AI-powered Student Lifecycle Platform built with Salesforce[1]
Reported:
American Public Education, Inc. announced it is building an AI-powered Student Lifecycle Platform using Salesforce for its American Public University System, intended to unify admissions, financial aid, advising, tutoring and career services. Rollout is expected to begin with Rasmussen University and Hondros College of Nursing in Q1 2027 and continue through 2027 into the first half of 2028.
American Public Education completes acquisition of Rasmussen University[2]
Reported:
American Public Education, Inc. announced that it had completed its acquisition of Rasmussen University. Rasmussen will continue to operate as a separately accredited institution.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/rasmussen-university · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled