2027 Best Value Public Health Schools in Minnesota

[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value public health schools.
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2027 Best Value Public Health Schools in Minnesota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public health, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Health Schools
For return on investment in public health, no school beat Saint Cloud State University this year. Set in the city of Saint Cloud, Saint Cloud State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,245. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $17,850. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Saint Cloud State University generally make around $32,830. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earned it the #2 place for public health. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $17,214 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $38,362. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $21,577. Public Health graduates of University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn a median of $70,387 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in public health will find it at Winona State University, which ranked #3. Winona State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Winona. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,576, while out-of-state students pay about $17,308. Public Health graduates carry a median of $20,966 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Winona State University generally make around $46,250. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Winona State University admits about 76% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in public health will find it at Capella University, which ranked #4. Capella University is a very large private for-profit school located in the city of Minneapolis. In-state tuition and fees average $14,400. Students borrow a median of $35,998 to complete the public health program here. Public Health graduates of Capella University earn a median of $73,117 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #5 makes Rasmussen College Minnesota one of the best values for public health. Rasmussen College Minnesota is a large private for-profit school located in the city of St. Cloud. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,199. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $40,809. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Rasmussen College Minnesota generally make around $35,433. Set against $40,809 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Minnesota Duluth landed the #6 spot for public health value this year. Located in the city of Duluth, University Of Minnesota Duluth is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,608, with out-of-state students paying around $20,134. Public Health graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Duluth generally make around $36,520. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
St Catherine University placed #7 among the best values for public health. Set in the city of Saint Paul, St Catherine University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $38,428. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $29,815. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from St Catherine University generally make around $52,000. That is a strong return on a $29,815 median debt. St Catherine University admits about 92% of applicants.
University Of St Thomas Minnesota landed the #8 spot for public health value this year. Set in the city of Saint Paul, University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $54,398. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the public health program here. Public Health graduates of University Of St Thomas Minnesota earn a median of $38,475 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Walden University ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value public health schools. Walden University is a very large private for-profit school located in the city of Minneapolis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,067. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $45,793. Public Health graduates of Walden University earn a median of $66,259 early in their careers. Set against $45,793 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.