Minnesota Top Universities

Best Colleges and Universities in Minnesota

Minnesota is located in the Midwest region of the United States and borders Canada, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Minnesota’s capital city is St. Paul and its largest city is Minneapolis. Nicknamed the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” Minnesota is known for its abundance of lakes and rivers which contribute to its beautiful landscape. The state is home to a diverse array of wildlife including bald eagles, moose, black bears, white tailed deer and more. Minnesota also has a strong economy driven by manufacturing, agriculture and tourism.

List of Top Colleges in the State of Minnesota

Are you planning to attend a Minnesota college? Then, you have come to the right place! We have carefully reviewed each of 4-year colleges and universities in the state of Minnesota and the following are the top-ranked public and private programs listed in alphabetical order. You can keep reading to see best MN colleges. Please note that you will be directed to a different website.

Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes, with more shoreline than California, Florida and Hawaii combined. It is home to Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world, and has developed a premier system of state and national parks and trails that offer unmatched recreational opportunities.

Regardless of where you choose study in Minnesota, from the majestic Mississippi River bluffs to the land of Pipestone quarries, to the urban excitement of Minneapolis and St. Paul to the pristine lakes of the Northland, the state’s natural surroundings are bound to inspire you.

Minnesota prides itself on academic excellence and innovation. The state has the fourth highest high school graduation rate in the United States, and scores on college entrance exam consistently rank among the top five. Minnesota is home to the nation’s first charter school, and today hosts dozens of unique magnet schools that provide young people with expanded or specialized opportunities in such areas as language, science, technology or the arts. Progressive state policies offer families their choice of public school, provide educational tax benefits, and allow high school juniors and seniors to take college courses at no cost.

College opportunities abound in Minnesota With eight public universities and 29 community and technical colleges, opportunities for undergraduate and graduate degree programs are practically limitless. Campuses range in size from 30,000 students to 400, and are located in every corner of the state, in farming communities, urban and suburban settings, and perched on the shores of Minnesota’s lakes and rivers. In addition to the public institutions of higher learning, Minnesota has a wide array of private colleges as well.

Because Minnesota is the headquarters for one of the world’s largest airlines, flights into the Twin Cities and to communities across the state are very frequent and often very affordable.

Minnesotans have invested substantial dollars in making their public universities and colleges stand out as centers of excellence. Its public colleges and universities are highly ranked nationally; with US News and World Report picking Southwest State University in Marshall as the #1 regional public liberal arts college in the Midwest. America’s 100 Best College Buys lists Winona State University among its choices.

The state’s 29 public two-year colleges offer students a special kind of experience. For example, St. Cloud Technical College gives students the specific skills they need to get a good job fast in a range of careers, including computer technology and precision manufacturing. Vermilion Community College specializes in careers in natural resources management, and is located at the edge of the national Boundary Waters Canoe Area; Fergus Falls Community College offers all the activities of a full university, complete with a national championship men’s basketball team.

More than half of the state’s higher education institutions are located in or near the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. This bustling metropolis area offers cultural opportunities, sporting events, shopping and entertainment beyond compare. A typical weekend in the city offers dozens of lively theater productions, professional sporting events, community celebrations that are ‘uniquely Minnesota’ and many daily attractions including a world-class zoo, the Science Museum, and of course, the Mall of America with its 400 stores and indoor amusement park. Minneapolis and St. Paul blend cosmopolitan energy and sophistication with small town security and comfort. Nearly everything you want or need will be cleaner, closer, safer and less crowded than most other urban areas.

Minnesota’s public education system is supported by a strong and diverse business community. During the 1990s, the state experienced unprecedented growth. Goldman Sachs, the international financial services company, calls Minnesota’s economy one of the most diverse in the nation; it ranks seventh in the nation in the number of Fortune 500 company headquarters per million residents. While Minnesota offers the opportunity to work for one of the largest companies in the world, it also offers the chance to join small innovative firms – in 1997, the state ranked sixth in the United States in the number of patents issued per million people.

Minnesota and its communities have been cited repeatedly as one of the most livable places to be. It’s natural beauty, record low unemployment, recreational opportunities and academic excellence have drawn thousands of international students here each year.

Below we list all universities in the state of Minnesota.

  • Augsburg College (MN)

Founded: 1869
Slogan: “Education for Service”
Location: 2211 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454
Tuition: $35,465 (2015)
Acceptance Rate: 59% (2015)
Total Enrollment: 3,822

  • Bemidji State University (MN)

Founded: 1919
Location: 1500 Birchmont Dr, Bemidji, MN 56601
Tuition: $8,386 (2016)
Acceptance Rate: 94% (2015)
Total Enrollment: 6,354

  • Bethany Lutheran College (MN)

Founded: 1927
Slogan: “One Thing Needful”
Location: 700 Luther Dr, Mankato, MN 56001
Tuition: $25,890 (2016)
Acceptance Rate: 85% (2015)
Total Enrollment: 750

  • Bethel University (MN)

Founded: 1871
Location: 3900 Bethel Dr, Saint Paul, MN 55112
Tuition: $35,160 (2016)
Acceptance Rate: 95% (2015)
Total Enrollment: 6,532

  • Capella University (MN)

Founded: 1993
Location: 225 South 6th Street, 9th Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Tuition: $12,816 (2014)
Total Enrollment: 38,392

  • Carleton College (MN)

Founded: 1866
Slogan: “The Revelation / Announcement of Your Words Illuminates”
Location: One North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057
Tuition: $57,111 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 19.84% (2018)

  • College of St. Benedict (MN)
  • College of St. Scholastica (MN)

Founded: 1912
Slogan: “All her paths are peace”
Location: 1200 Kenwood Ave, Duluth, MN 55811
Tuition: $38,282 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 66.18% (2018)
Total Enrollment: 3,906

  • College of Visual Arts (MN)

Founded: 1948
Location: 344 Summit Avenue
Total Enrollment: 200

  • Concordia College at Moorhead (MN)

Founded: 1891
Slogan: “Glory to God Alone”
Location: 901 Eighth Street S, Moorhead, MN 56562
Acceptance Rate: 68.0% (2021)
Total Enrollment: 2,042

  • Concordia University at St. Paul (MN)
  • Crown College (MN)

Founded: 1916
Slogan: “Called to Serve. Prepared to Lead.”
Location: 8700 College View Drive, Saint Bonifacius, MN 55375
Tuition: $26,970 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 51.2% (2017)
Total Enrollment: 1,320

  • Dunwoody College of Technology (MN)

Founded: 1914
Location: 818 Dunwoody Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Tuition: $23,119 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 65.0% (2021)
Total Enrollment: 1,548

  • Gustavus Adolphus College (MN)

Founded: 1862
Slogan: “Strength Comes To Us From Heaven”
Location: 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082
Tuition: $47,040 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 66.159996% (2018)
Total Enrollment: 2,450

  • Hamline University (MN)

Founded: 1854
Slogan: “Divinity, Writing, Liberty”
Location: 1536 Hewitt Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55104
Tuition: $42,774 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 68.0% (2021)

  • Macalester College (MN)

Founded: 1874
Slogan: “Nature and Revelation are twin sisters of heaven”
Location: 1600 Grand Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105
Tuition: $56,292 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 32.27% (2019)
Total Enrollment: 2,174

  • Martin Luther College (MN)

Founded: 1995
Slogan: “The Way, the Truth, the Life”
Location: 1995 Luther Ct, New Ulm, MN 56073
Tuition: $15,870 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 83.83% (2019)
Total Enrollment: 860

  • Metropolitan State University (MN)

Founded: 1971
Slogan: “Where life and learning meet”
Location: 700 East Seventh Street, Saint Paul, MN 55106
Tuition: $8,114 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 54.0% (2021)
Total Enrollment: 7,861

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MN)

Founded: 1886
Location: 2501 Stevens Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Tuition: $40,396 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 62.629997% (2018)

  • Minnesota State University at Mankato (MN)

Founded: 1868
Slogan: “Big Ideas. Real-world Thinking.”
Location: South Rd and Ellis Ave, Mankato, MN 56001
Tuition: $8,438 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 61.0% (2020)
Total Enrollment: 17,357

  • Minnesota State University at Moorhead (MN)
  • North Central University (MN)

Founded: 1930
Slogan: “January 2019”
Location: 910 Elliot Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Tuition: $25,090 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 90.04% (2018)
Total Enrollment: 1,111

  • Northwestern College (MN)

Founded: 1882
Slogan: “God Is Light”
Location: 101 Seventh St SW, Orange City, IA 51041
Tuition: $32,300 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 70.0% (2021)

  • Northwestern Health Sciences University (MN)

Founded: 1941
Location: 2501 W 84th St, Bloomington, MN 55431
Tuition: $12,780 (2019)
Total Enrollment: 915

  • Southwest Minnesota State University (MN)

Founded: 1964
Slogan: “Discover. Engage. Lead.”
Location: 1501 State St, Marshall, MN 56258
Tuition: $8,874 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 60.34% (2018)
Total Enrollment: 8,718

  • St. Catherine University (MN)
  • St. Cloud State University (MN)

Founded: 1869
Location: 720 Fourth Ave. South, Saint Cloud, MN 56301
Tuition: $8,892 (2020)
Acceptance Rate: 90.04% (2019)
Total Enrollment: 16,326

  • St. John’s University (MN)

Founded: 1870
Slogan: “Christian education perfects the soul”
Location: 8000 Utopia Pky, Queens, NY 11439
Tuition: $43,000 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 72.0% (2021)
Total Enrollment: 21,087

  • St. Mary’s University of Minnesota (MN)

Founded: 1912
Slogan: “Virtue and Knowledge”
Location: 700 Terrace Heights, Winona, MN 55987
Tuition: $36,670 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 92.0% (2021)
Total Enrollment: 5,900

  • St. Olaf College (MN)

Founded: 1874
Slogan: “Forward! Forward! Men of Christ, Men of the Cross”
Location: 1520 St Olaf Ave, Northfield, MN 55057
Tuition: $49,710 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 48.0% (2021)
Total Enrollment: 3,048

  • University of Minnesota at Crookston (MN)

Founded: 1966
Location: 2900 University Ave, Crookston, MN 56716
Tuition: $12,116 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 66.0% (2021)
Total Enrollment: 1,821

  • University of Minnesota at Duluth (MN)

Founded: 1947
Slogan: “Real Connections”
Location: 515 Darland Administration Bldg, Duluth, MN 55812
Tuition: $13,680 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 74.89% (2019)
Total Enrollment: 10,275

  • University of Minnesota at Morris (MN)

Founded: 1960
Slogan: “A renewable, sustainable education”
Location: 309 Behmler Hall, Morris, MN 56267
Tuition: $13,578 (2019)
Acceptance Rate: 57.0% (2021)
Total Enrollment: 1,431

  • University of Minnesota at Twin Cities (MN)

Founded: 1851
Slogan: “A common bond for all the arts”
Location: 100 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
Telephone: 1-612-625-5000
Tuition: $15,253 (2021)
Acceptance Rate: 57.0% (2021)
Total Enrollment: 49,148

  • University of St. Thomas (MN)

Founded: 1885
Slogan: “All for the common good”
Location: 2115 Summit Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105
Tuition: $42,736 (2018)
Acceptance Rate: 83.0% (2021)
Total Enrollment: 9,878

  • Walden University (MN)

Founded: 1970
Slogan: “Education for Good”
Location: 100 Washington Avenue South, Suite 900, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Tuition: $12,150 (2019)
Total Enrollment: 49,680

  • Winona State University (MN)

More on the Internet

  • COUNTRYAAH: How many counties are there in Minnesota? This website provides a full list of all counties, cities, towns and detailed information of each county in Minnesota.

Minnesota Top Universities