Minnesota Best College Rankings
Carleton College ranked first and Saint Johns University ranked second in Minnesota college rankings. The 2025 average tuition & fees of the Minnesota best colleges is $27,581 for Minnesota residents and $34,309 for out-of-state students. The average acceptance rate is 72.69% and the average SAT score is 1,253. The average number of student population is 9,187 and the average student to faculty ratio is 15 to 1.
Below statements summarize the average statistics of tuition, admission, and more academic factors for Minnesota best colleges. For the statistics, we only include 4 years colleges such as national universities and liberal arts colleges.
- The average undergraduate tuition & fees is $34,309 and Carleton College has the highest tuition & fees of $68,892 and Metropolitan State University has the lowest tuition & fees of $9,840.
- The average graduate tuition & fees is $15,579 and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities has the highest tuition & fees of $33,249 and Concordia University-Saint Paul has the lowest tuition & fees of $8,550.
- The average SAT score is 1,253 and Carleton College has the highest SAT score of 1,515 and University of Northwestern-St Paul has the lowest score of 1,040.
- The average acceptance rate is 72.69% and Carleton College has the tightest (lowest) rate of 20% and Metropolitan State University has the loosest (lowest) rate of 99%.
- The average student population is 9,187 and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities has the most students of 56,666 and Bethany Lutheran College has the fewest students of 899.
- The average graduation rate is 62.07% and Carleton College has the highest rate of 90% and Capella University has the lowest rate of 20%.
Minnesota Best Colleges Comparison
The below table compares the 30 best colleges in Minnesota with important academic factors. You can sort the table by touching/clicking a column name that you want to sort.
| Rank | College Name | Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | Graduate Tuition & Fees | SAT Score | Acceptance Rate | Population | Graduation Rate | Student to Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carleton College Northfield, MN | $68,892 | - | 1,515 | 20.4% | 2,128 | 90% | 8 to 1 |
| 2 | Saint Johns University Collegeville, MN | $55,816 | $18,030 | 1,100 | 90.6% | 1,572 | 75% | 12 to 1 |
| 3 | University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MN | $54,398 | $21,151 | 1,345 | 85.4% | 9,410 | 76% | 14 to 1 |
| 4 | Macalester College Saint Paul, MN | $68,104 | - | 1,440 | 28.5% | 2,138 | 87% | 10 to 1 |
| 5 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN | $38,362 | $33,249 | 1,410 | 79.8% | 56,666 | 85% | 17 to 1 |
| 6 | College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph, MN | $55,756 | $23,283 | 1,160 | 91.5% | 1,429 | 77% | 11 to 1 |
| 7 | Bethel University Saint Paul, MN | $44,226 | $10,260 | 1,230 | 87.8% | 3,603 | 71% | 14 to 1 |
| 8 | Hamline University Saint Paul, MN | $50,004 | $13,113 | 1,270 | 87.6% | 2,565 | 60% | 14 to 1 |
| 9 | St Olaf College Northfield, MN | $59,760 | - | 1,380 | 48.3% | 3,124 | 84% | 11 to 1 |
| 10 | University of Northwestern-St Paul Saint Paul, MN | $37,920 | $10,260 | 1,040 | 93.5% | 3,234 | 68% | 16 to 1 |
| 11 | Augsburg University Minneapolis, MN | $45,452 | $13,766 | - | 82.0% | 3,249 | 52% | 14 to 1 |
| 12 | Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN | $56,076 | $23,770 | - | 61.0% | 1,906 | 77% | 12 to 1 |
| 13 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN | $45,080 | $12,474 | - | 92.8% | 4,505 | 66% | 18 to 1 |
| 14 | The College of Saint Scholastica Duluth, MN | $41,778 | $15,084 | - | 93.0% | 2,930 | 71% | 12 to 1 |
| 15 | University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth, MN | $20,134 | $32,862 | 1,290 | 88.8% | 9,253 | 65% | 16 to 1 |
| 16 | Concordia College at Moorhead Moorhead, MN | $31,170 | $11,557 | - | 62.7% | 1,935 | 61% | 12 to 1 |
| 17 | Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, MN | $31,360 | $10,815 | 1,150 | 39.0% | 899 | 55% | 12 to 1 |
| 18 | Crown College Saint Bonifacius, MN | $31,410 | $11,740 | - | 22.8% | 1,846 | 45% | 15 to 1 |
| 19 | St Catherine University Saint Paul, MN | $38,428 | $18,570 | 1,080 | 91.9% | 3,651 | 61% | 9 to 1 |
| 20 | Winona State University Winona, MN | $17,308 | $15,953 | - | 75.5% | 6,045 | 57% | 14 to 1 |
| 21 | Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN | $10,428 | $11,902 | - | 58.8% | 4,386 | 57% | 17 to 1 |
| 22 | Walden University Minneapolis, MN | $11,067 | $10,885 | - | - | 49,441 | - | 31 to 1 |
| 23 | Minnesota State University-Mankato Mankato, MN | $18,942 | $19,989 | - | 88.4% | 15,271 | 54% | 21 to 1 |
| 24 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN | $10,245 | $10,924 | 1,130 | 94.8% | 10,732 | 40% | 18 to 1 |
| 25 | Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN | $9,840 | $11,323 | - | 98.7% | 6,660 | 44% | 15 to 1 |
| 26 | Capella University Minneapolis, MN | $14,400 | $15,092 | - | - | 47,761 | 20% | 41 to 1 |
| 27 | Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN | $10,237 | $10,099 | - | 56.0% | 4,072 | 48% | 18 to 1 |
| 28 | Concordia University-Saint Paul Saint Paul, MN | $25,600 | $8,550 | - | 78.9% | 6,003 | 46% | 16 to 1 |
| 29 | Southwest Minnesota State University Marshall, MN | $10,361 | $10,360 | - | 62.2% | 8,214 | 45% | 16 to 1 |
| 30 | University of Minnesota-Morris Morris, MN | $16,710 | - | - | 74.9% | 981 | 63% | 9 to 1 |
| Average | $34,309 | $15,579 | 1,253 | 72.7% | 9,187 | 62% | 15 to 1 |
Minnesota Colleges by Ranking and School Type