Best Colleges in Minnesota (2023 Rankings)

Minnesota is widely known as the home of the Twin Cities Minneapolis and St. Paul, not to mention the epic Mall of America. But did you know that it also ranks as one of the most educated states in America?

Whether you're looking for a great community college or the perfect doctoral program, Minnesota offers no shortage of higher education opportunities. We'll help you get started on your hunt for the right school with a list of the top colleges in Minnesota (in no particular order), complete with a breakdown of what each has to offer.

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Location: Minneapolis, MN

In-State Tuition: $15,027

Out-of-State Tuition: $33,325

Fast facts:

• 36,061 undergraduate students 
• 70% acceptance rate 
• 71% 4-year graduation rate

Let's kick things off with the University of Minnesota (UMN), the most prestigious public research university in the state! While you'll find the main campus right in the heart of Minneapolis-St. Paul, there are also a number of sister campuses like the University of Minnesota-Morris, Duluth, Rochester, and Crookston.

While first-year students aren't required to live on campus, most do because of the many unique housing options. UMN offers Living Learning Communities that are themed around everything from cultural identity to academic interests.

Earn your bachelor's degree in one of 150 majors, choose from over 900 student organizations, or get involved with the school's thriving Greek scene. 

You might also like: University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN

Carleton College, Northfield

Location: Northfield, MN

Tuition: $59,352

Fast facts:

• 1,940 undergraduate students 
• 21% acceptance rate 
• 88% 4-year graduation rate

If you're looking for a small, tight-knit student body, then check out Carleton College, a private liberal arts college. Located on a gorgeous 955-acre campus in the historic river town of Northfield, Carleton College boasts an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio with an average of 15 students per class.

While Carleton College places less emphasis on Greek life, you will find plenty of cool student organizations themed around everything from martial arts and dance to chess and anime. Choose from 33 majors and 38 minors in diverse subjects such as humanities, math, and statistics.

You might also like: Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, MN

The College of St. Scholastica

Location: Duluth, MN

Tuition: $39,410

Fast facts:

• 2,244 undergraduate students 
• 73% acceptance rate 
• 61% 4-year graduation rate

Next up on our list of the best Minnesota colleges, we've got St. Scholastica, a private Catholic college nestled along the scenic banks of Lake Superior in Duluth. But the school also offers solid online or hybrid degree programs at its St. Cloud campus.

The College of St. Scholastica offers many different fields of study, from health care to humanities. The school also offers great doctoral degrees in Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Educational Leadership.

You might also like: Concordia University, Moorhead, MN

St. Olaf College, Northfield

Location: Northfield, MN

Tuition: $51,450

Fast facts:

• 2,953 undergraduate students 
• 51% acceptance rate 
• 82% 4-year graduation rate

St. Olaf College may just be one of the most interesting private colleges in the Midwest. In a nod to its Norwegian founders, the private Lutheran liberal arts college is one of the few in the Midwest that offers a full-on Norwegian major.

But no worries if Nordic studies aren't your thing. The school offers over 85 areas of study to choose from, giving students plenty of options to pursue their interests whether they're interested in chemistry, creative writing, education, or economics. While St. Olaf College welcomes students of all faiths, drinking culture isn't welcome. St. Olaf College is a dry campus, meaning alcohol isn't allowed on campus.

You might also like: Augsburg University, Minneapolis, MN

St. Catherine University

Location: Saint Paul, MN

Tuition: $42,594

Fast facts:

• 2,983 undergraduate students 
• 76% acceptance rate 
• 55% 4-year graduation rate

St. Catherine University, aka "St. Kate's," was first founded in 1905 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Set in the heart of Saint Paul, the Catholic university offers three different programs, including a college for women and co-ed programs for adults and graduate students.

Choose from over 60 areas of study, including digital marketing, business, English, and public health. Get involved in one of their many student clubs, or even start your own!

You might also like: Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, MN

Macalester College, Saint Paul

Location: Saint Paul, MN

Tuition: $58,478

Fast facts:

• 2,049 undergraduate students 
• 39% acceptance rate 
• 88% 4-year graduation rate

Macalester College is a small Presbyterian liberal arts college that offers the perfect blend of a tight-knit student body and easy access to the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. You'll find a great mix of diversity here, as Macalester's historic enrollment includes students from all 50 states and 94 countries.

Whether you're into social science, linguistics, or law, you'll find over 60 bachelor's degree options to choose from. Macalester is fairly selective, but its retention and graduation rates are off the charts.

You might also like: Crown College, a small Christian college in St Bonifacius, MN

College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University

Location: St. Joseph, MN (CSB) and Collegeville, MN (SJU)

Tuition: $48,444 (CSB) and $48,166 (SJU)

Fast facts:

• 1,668 (CSB) and 1,569 (SJU) undergraduate students 
• 84% (CSB) and 81% (SJU) acceptance rate 
• 80% (CSB) and 69% (SJU) 4-year graduation rate

What's with all the separate statistics, you ask? The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University are private Catholic universities with a unique partnership.

While CSB was originally founded for women and SJU for men, the two campuses now function as one, allowing students to take co-ed classes on both campuses via the free LINK shuttle. While undergrads can major in anything from forestry to finance, the schools also offer renowned doctoral degrees in Nursing and Theology.

You might also like: Bethel University, Saint Paul, MN

Minnesota State University, Mankato

Location: Mankato, MN

Tuition: $8,566

Fast facts:

• 12,938 undergraduate students 
• 67% acceptance rate 
• 28% 4-year graduation rate

While Minnesota offers a huge range of private universities, rest assured that UMN is not the only public university in the state! With a 67% acceptance rate and incredibly competitive tuition cost, the Minnesota State University-Mankato is definitely worth checking out.

While the school boasts 130 undergraduate programs of study, over 100 master's degree and graduate certificate programs, and four doctoral programs, it's a particularly great choice if you're interested in aviation. Minnesota State University partners with several airlines to help hook aviation students up with jobs as soon as they graduate.

UMN also has another campus, Minnesota State University-Moorhead, that's slightly smaller but equally solid in terms of academic offerings.

You might also like: Winona State University, Winona, MN

Minnesota colleges FAQ

What's the number one best college in Minnesota?

The frustrating truth is that it depends on who you ask. The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities often scores in the top ranks due to its solid track record and wide range of academic offerings.

But it's less important to focus on finding the "best" school and more important to focus on finding the best college for you.

What is the hardest school to get into in Minnesota?

With just a 21% acceptance rate, Carleton College is a notoriously tough school to get into. If you're accepted into its student body of just under 2,000, Carleton is a great place to study if you want a close-knit college experience.

What is the best college for a doctoral degree in Minnesota?

The University of Minnesota offers over 130 graduate programs, making it one of the state's top choices for both master's and doctoral programs. 

Find the perfect Minnesota school with College Rove

As you can see, there's no shortage of great colleges to choose from in the state of Minnesota. If you're looking for a stress-free way to find the best schools for you, then look no further than College Rover. Our user-friendly interface is designed to help you find, filter, and compare thousands of different universities - all in one place.

The truth is, there's no such thing as a "typical college experience." Whether you're looking for a large public university in a big city, a small private college in the country, or anything in between, the perfect match is out there just waiting for your application letter!

College Rover gets the majority of its data directly from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). The DOE publishing schedule "lags" the most current data which some colleges post on their official websites. This may cause there to be a difference in the data you see on College Rover and an individual college website. College Rover's website is updated as the DOE data becomes available and is configured for the College Rover website.