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2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota

52 Colleges
$53,168 Avg Salary*
53% Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*

There are lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Top Minnesota Colleges ranking.

We analyzed 52 colleges and universities across Minnesota to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as student-to-faculty ratio, average graduate earnings, and graduation rate.

See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.

Customizing Your List

We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.

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One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head!

Top Colleges in Minnesota

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

1

Our analysis found University of Minnesota - Twin Cities to be the best school for overall quality in Minnesota in this year’s ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 14,640 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UMN Twin Cities make an average of $61,201 per year during the early years of their career.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Report

2
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carleton College. The school came in at #2 in Minnesota on this year’s overall quality ranking. Carleton College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 517 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Carleton is $67,132 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

3

Out of the 52 schools in Minnesota that were part of this year’s ranking, University of St Thomas Minnesota landed the #3 spot on the list.Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,066 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from UST MN make an average of $67,398 a year.

Full University of St Thomas Minnesota Report

4
Capella University crest
Capella University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Capella University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Minnesota. Capella University is a large private for-profit school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 14,837 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Capella University go into careers with an average salary of $59,307 during the early years of their career.

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5
Hennepin Technical College crest
Hennepin Technical College
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Hennepin Technical College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Minnesota. Hennepin Technical College is a small public school located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota that handed out 1,610 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Hennepin Technical College go into careers with an average salary of $43,390 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Hennepin Technical College

6
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges in Minnesota list. St Olaf College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 942 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The 4-year grad rate at the school is 81%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $60,242 during the early years of their career..

Full St Olaf College Report

7
Macalester crest
Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Macalester College landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 585 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 86%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Macalester go into careers with an average salary of $57,134 during the early years of their career.

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8

The College of Saint Scholastica came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 1,478 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from St. Scholastica make an average of $58,748 per year during the early years of their career.

Read full report on The College of Saint Scholastica

9

University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 2,564 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $54,750 during the early years of their career..

Full University of Minnesota - Duluth Report

10

Rasmussen University - Minnesota ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges in Minnesota list. Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a small private for-profit school located in St. Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 1,966 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Rasmussen University - Minnesota is $35,667 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Rasmussen University - Minnesota

11
CSB crest
College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, Minnesota

College of Saint Benedict came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. Located in Saint Joseph, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 487 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from CSB make an average of $56,367 per year during the early years of their career.

Read full report on College of Saint Benedict

12
Normandale Community College crest
Normandale Community College
Bloomington, Minnesota

Normandale Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #12. Normandale Community College is located in Bloomington, Minnesota and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,379 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $47,191 during the early years of their career..

Read full report on Normandale Community College

13

Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, the fairly large public school awarded 3,616 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

The low student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State Mankato go into careers with an average salary of $51,689 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Minnesota State University - Mankato

14
Hamline crest
Hamline University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #14, Hamline University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 1,147 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Hamline is $53,895 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

15
Bethel University Minnesota crest
Bethel University Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Bethel University Minnesota came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 1,232 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $55,159 during the early years of their career..

Read More…

16
St. Kate's crest
St Catherine University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

St Catherine University landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. St. Kate’s is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 1,502 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $52,603 during the early years of their career..

Read More…

17
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. Winona State is a medium-sized public school situated in Winona, Minnesota. It awarded 1,886 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $51,346 during the early years of their career..

Read full report on Winona State University

18

Dakota County Technical College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. Located in Rosemount, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 794 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,691 during the early years of their career..

Read More…

19
Century College crest
Century College
White Bear Lake, Minnesota

With a ranking of #19, Century College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota list. Century College is a public institution located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,810 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Century College is $43,353 during the early years of their career.

Full Century College Report

20

Concordia College at Moorhead came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. Located in Moorhead, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 484 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Concordia College Moorhead is $51,988 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

21

University of Northwestern - St Paul landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. Northwestern is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 770 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern make an average of $45,104 per year during the early years of their career.

Read More…

22
Metro State crest
Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #22, Metropolitan State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota list. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the medium-sized public school awarded 2,187 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Metro State make an average of $56,402 per year during the early years of their career.

Read More…

23

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. SMU MN is a private not-for-profit institution located in Winona, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1,896 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from SMU MN make an average of $54,950 a year.

Read full report on Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

24
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, the fairly large public school awarded 2,656 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $51,372 during the early years of their career..

Read full report on Saint Cloud State University

25

Minnesota State University - Moorhead came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Minnesota ranking. MSU Moorhead is located in Moorhead, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,489 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from MSU Moorhead go into careers with an average salary of $47,117 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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