2025 Minnesota Colleges Graduation Rate Comparison
For the academic year 2023-2024, the average graduation rate at Minnesota colleges is 53.3%. The graduation rate is calculated by number of completers by dividing number of candidates. The completers have completed their degree/certificate within 150% of normal time, for example within 6 years for 4-years BS degree program. The average transfer-out rate is 21.6% and the average retention rate is 71.5% (full-time students).
Minnesota College Graduation, Transfer-out, Retention Rate Statistics
The next list shows the colleges with the highest and lowest graduation rate and more relative statistics. For that, we include only 4-year colleges and having more than 500 enrolled students.
- Northwestern Health Sciences University has the highest graduation rate of 100% and Capella University has the lowest graduation rate of 20% and .
- University of Minnesota-Rochester has the highest transfer-out rate of 38% and University of St Thomas has the lowest transfer-out rate of 1% and .
- Rasmussen University-Minnesota has the highest retention rate of 100% and Capella University has the lowest retention rate of 42% and .
Graduation Rate Comparison Between Minnesota Colleges
The following table lists Minnesota colleges with graduation, transfer-out, and retention rate. The graduation rate is based on the number of completers who completed their program within 150% normal time (i.e. within 6 years for 4 years B.S. degrees).
You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles and narrow down the college list by using the buttons below.
| College Name | Graduation Rate | Transfer-out Rate | Retention Rate (full-time) | Retention Rate (part-time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy College Bloomington, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 36% | - | - | - |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College Alexandria, MN Public, 2-4 years | 60% | 8% | 77% | 59 |
| Anoka Technical College Anoka, MN Public, 2-4 years | 66% | 12% | 62% | 52 |
| Anoka-Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids, MN Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 36% | 58% | 46 |
| Augsburg University Minneapolis, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 52% | 7% | 72% | - |
| Riverland Community College Austin, MN Public, 2-4 years | 52% | 15% | 75% | 50 |
| Northwest Technical College Bemidji, MN Public, 2-4 years | 50% | 13% | 74% | 56 |
| Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 48% | 31% | 73% | 29 |
| Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 55% | 19% | 72% | - |
| Bethel University Saint Paul, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 71% | - | 86% | 33 |
| Central Lakes College-Brainerd Brainerd, MN Public, 2-4 years | 53% | 13% | 69% | 40 |
| Carleton College Northfield, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 90% | - | 96% | - |
| Concordia College at Moorhead Moorhead, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 61% | 27% | 84% | - |
| Concordia University-Saint Paul Saint Paul, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 46% | 34% | 67% | 17 |
| Dakota County Technical College Rosemount, MN Public, 2-4 years | 58% | 10% | 74% | 56 |
| Martin Luther College New Ulm, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 72% | - | 85% | - |
| Lake Superior College Duluth, MN Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 14% | 61% | 58 |
| Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls, MN Public, 2-4 years | 47% | 47% | 69% | 50 |
| Minnesota West Community and Technical College Granite Falls, MN Public, 2-4 years | 52% | 15% | 68% | 61 |
| Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 77% | 16% | 88% | - |
| Hamline University Saint Paul, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 60% | - | 78% | - |
| Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park, MN Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 9% | 73% | 59 |
| Minnesota North College Hibbing, MN Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 18% | 62% | 50 |
| Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Minneapolis Minneapolis, MN Private, Less than 2 years | 68% | - | 85% | - |
| Inver Hills Community College Inver Grove Heights, MN Public, 2-4 years | 24% | 37% | 56% | 46 |
| Minnesota North College - Itasca Grand Rapids, MN Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 34% | 51% | 38 |
| Macalester College Saint Paul, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 87% | 8% | 92% | - |
| South Central College North Mankato, MN Public, 2-4 years | 39% | 14% | 59% | 41 |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato Mankato, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 54% | 29% | 80% | 69 |
| Minnesota North College - Mesabi Range Virginia Virginia, MN Public, 2-4 years | 39% | 24% | 66% | 57 |
| Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 44% | 36% | 68% | 65 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 85% | - | 91% | 67 |
| University of Minnesota-Crookston Crookston, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 50% | 32% | 80% | 50 |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 51% | 28% | 75% | - |
| Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis, MN Public, 2-4 years | 20% | 29% | 56% | 43 |
| Herzing University-Minneapolis St. Louis Park, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 47% | - | 70% | 86 |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 65% | 25% | 81% | 46 |
| University of Minnesota-Morris Morris, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 63% | 23% | 74% | - |
| Model College of Hair Design Saint Cloud, MN Private, Less than 2 years | 61% | - | 89% | - |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 57% | 24% | 75% | 83 |
| North Hennepin Community College Brooklyn Park, MN Public, 2-4 years | 22% | 34% | 60% | 47 |
| Normandale Community College Bloomington, MN Public, 2-4 years | 27% | 28% | 62% | 50 |
| North Central University Minneapolis, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | - | 82% | 79 |
| Northland Community and Technical College Thief River Falls, MN Public, 2-4 years | 56% | 11% | 70% | 57 |
| University of Northwestern-St Paul Saint Paul, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 68% | - | 83% | - |
| Northwestern Health Sciences University Bloomington, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 100% | - | - | - |
| Oak Hills Christian College Bemidji, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 23% | - | 45% | 100 |
| Pine Technical & Community College Pine City, MN Public, 2-4 years | 36% | 14% | 52% | 41 |
| Minnesota North College - Rainy River International Falls, MN Public, 2-4 years | 36% | 31% | 39% | 75 |
| Rochester Community and Technical College Rochester, MN Public, 2-4 years | 29% | 21% | 58% | 54 |
| College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 77% | - | 86% | - |
| St Cloud Technical and Community College Saint Cloud, MN Public, 2-4 years | 45% | 16% | 65% | 49 |
| Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 40% | 34% | 71% | 54 |
| Saint Johns University Collegeville, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 75% | - | 86% | - |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | 25% | 75% | - |
| St Olaf College Northfield, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 84% | 11% | 92% | - |
| Crown College Saint Bonifacius, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 45% | 3% | 70% | 31 |
| The College of Saint Scholastica Duluth, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 71% | 22% | 82% | 100 |
| University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 76% | 1% | 88% | 50 |
| Empire Beauty School-Bloomington Bloomington, MN Private, Less than 2 years | 78% | - | 72% | 67 |
| St Catherine University Saint Paul, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 61% | 26% | 80% | - |
| Rasmussen University-Minnesota St. Cloud, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 53% | - | 100% | - |
| Saint Paul College Saint Paul, MN Public, 2-4 years | 40% | 20% | 60% | 40 |
| Southwest Minnesota State University Marshall, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 45% | 36% | 74% | 24 |
| Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center Minneapolis, MN Private, Less than 2 years | 64% | - | - | - |
| Minnesota North College - Vermilion Ely, MN Public, 2-4 years | 37% | 35% | 61% | 67 |
| Dunwoody College of Technology Minneapolis, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | 10% | 76% | 33 |
| Ridgewater College Willmar, MN Public, 2-4 years | 50% | 14% | 70% | 48 |
| Minnesota State College Southeast Winona, MN Public, 2-4 years | 47% | 11% | 63% | 46 |
| Winona State University Winona, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 57% | 30% | 79% | 75 |
| Century College White Bear Lake, MN Public, 2-4 years | 31% | 27% | 58% | 45 |
| Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Cloquet, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 26% | 23% | 44% | 48 |
| Capella University Minneapolis, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 20% | 27% | 42% | 40 |
| Leech Lake Tribal College Cass Lake, MN Public, 2-4 years | 19% | 19% | 51% | 42 |
| Hastings Beauty School Hastings, MN Private, Less than 2 years | 69% | 4% | 100% | - |
| White Earth Tribal and Community College Mahnomen, MN Private, 2-4 years | 10% | - | 50% | 43 |
| PCI Academy-Plymouth Plymouth, MN Private, Less than 2 years | 72% | - | 81% | 94 |
| Empire Beauty School-Spring Lake Park Spring Lake Park, MN Private, Less than 2 years | 52% | - | 57% | 42 |
| University of Minnesota-Rochester Rochester, MN Public, 4 years four-years | 57% | 38% | 70% | - |
| Avalon School of Cosmetology Worthington, MN Private, 2-4 years | 83% | - | - | - |
| Nova Academy of Cosmetology Rochester, MN Private, Less than 2 years | 77% | - | 83% | - |
| Bethlehem College & Seminary Minneapolis, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 70% | 26% | 100% | 100 |
| Bethany Global University Bloomington, MN Private, 4 years four-years | 56% | 10% | 22% | - |
| Red Lake Nation College Red Lake, MN Public, 2-4 years | 46% | - | 58% | 52 |
| Average | 53% | 22% | 72% | 54 |
Most Compared Minnesota Colleges
The following Minnesota college pairs are frequently compared by users. You can compare the schools by their most important academic factors such as acceptance rate and tuition.