Why This Matters

  • 44 COLLEGES IN MINNESOTA

    According to College Navigator, there are 12 public universities, 27 private non-profit colleges, and five private for-profit institutions.

  • $12,410 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES

    College Board indicates that the average undergraduate student in Minnesota paid $12,410 in tuition and school fees at public colleges during the 2021-22 school year.

  • $14,800 IN FINANCIAL AID FOR THE AVERAGE U.S. STUDENT

    During the 2020-21 school year, full-time undergraduate students earned an average of $14,800 in financial aid.

Our Research

This list features some of the best brick-and-mortar schools in Minnesota. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included liberal arts colleges and research universities as well as small, midsize, and large institutions. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a reputable organization that examines the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of education programs in the central United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for on-campus students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Colleges in Minnesota

Best Colleges In Minnesota
01
Intelligent Pick
University of Minnesota at Twin Cities
01
Best Graduation Rates
Carleton College
01
Best Private Institution
St. Olaf College
01
Best Catholic Institution
University of St. Thomas at Minnesota
01
Best Undergraduate Degrees
Macalester College
01
Best Financial Aid
Bethel University
01
Best Women's College
St. Catherine University
01
Best for Liberal Arts
Gustavus Adolphus College
01
Most Diverse Programs
The College of St. Scholastica
01
Best for Study Abroad
College of Saint Benedict & Saint John's University
01

Concordia College
01

Winona State University
01

University of Minnesota Duluth
01

Hamline University
01

Augsburg University
01

Minnesota State University at Mankato
01

University of Minnesota Morris
01

Dunwoody College of Technology
01

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

 

What You Should Know About Graduating From College in Minnesota

When determining the right state to attend college, you should also consider your options for pursuing a career in the same location. As of October 2021, the top industries for employment in Minnesota were education and health services; trade, transportation, and utilities; goods-producing; government; and professional and business services.

A fast-growing career might be just as important to you as finding work in your field. As of 2022, the fastest-growing careers in Minnesota for workers with a bachelor’s degree are information security analysts, logisticians, medical and health services managers, agents and talent managers, and data scientists.

In Minnesota, healthcare is among the top professions, but there are plenty of other options in the state for those with the right education. This is clear to see when reviewing the list of the largest employers in the state, which includes 3M, Ameriprise Financial, Andersen Corp, Best Buy, and Target.

What’s Next?

Many students across the United States require financial aid. When searching for the right college in Minnesota, it’s important to understand what resources are available to you to help pay for your education. Below, we’ve listed some of the grants, scholarships, and financial aid programs that are available for undergraduate students in Minnesota.

  • Minnesota Office of Higher Education. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education provides students with comprehensive details about financial aid, including how to apply and eligibility terms, as well as links to grants and scholarships that are available throughout the state.
  • Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA provides students across the United States with grants, scholarships, student loans, and work-study opportunities. The FAFSA4caster includes detailed eligibility requirements, and if you qualify, you can complete your online application.
  • CareerOneStop. CareerOneStop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. It gives you the opportunity to look up a large list of grants, scholarships, and loans while filtering your search by degree level and state.