Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Minnesota
Colleges that compete in NCAA Division III athletics, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Minnesota19 schools
19 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Minnesota.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Competes in NCAA Division III (the school's athletics association, from federal and association data).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Carleton College
Northfield, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Minnesota
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 90% graduate
- 2
Macalester College
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Minnesota
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 87% graduate
- 3
St. Olaf College
Northfield, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#3 in Minnesota
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 84% graduate
- 4
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, MN · Private nonprofit#5 in Minnesota
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 77% graduate
- 5
Bethel University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofit#7 in Minnesota
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 71% graduate
- 6
Saint Johns University
Collegeville, MN · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 75% graduate
- 7
College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, MN · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 77% graduate
- 8
Martin Luther College
New Ulm, MN · Private nonprofitTop 19% for graduation
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 72% graduate
- 9
The College of Saint Scholastica
Duluth, MN · Private nonprofitTop 19% for earnings
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 71% graduate
- 10
Concordia College at Moorhead
Moorhead, MN · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 61% graduate
- 11
University of Northwestern-St. Paul
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 68% graduate
- 12
University of Minnesota-Morris
Morris, MN · PublicTop 12% for low net price
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 63% graduate
- 13
Bethany Lutheran College
Mankato, MN · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 55% graduate
- 14
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 45% graduate
- 15
St. Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 61% graduate
- 16
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN · Private nonprofitTop 20% for low net price
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 66% graduate
- 17
North Central University
Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 66% graduate
- 18
Hamline University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 60% graduate
- 19
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 52% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton College | About $25,000 | $16,750 | $75,525 | 90% |
| Macalester College | About $32,000 | $23,000 | $63,878 | 87% |
| St. Olaf College | About $24,000 | $26,000 | $65,543 | 84% |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | About $23,000 | $26,774 | $65,607 | 77% |
| Bethel University | About $29,000 | $21,500 | $63,764 | 71% |
| Saint Johns University | About $26,000 | $27,000 | $76,786 | 75% |
| College of Saint Benedict | About $27,000 | $26,944 | $63,260 | 77% |
| Martin Luther College | About $18,000 | $20,177 | $47,491 | 72% |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | About $28,000 | $20,000 | $65,934 | 71% |
| Concordia College at Moorhead | About $25,000 | $26,847 | $59,317 | 61% |
| University of Northwestern-St. Paul | About $28,000 | $21,325 | $50,755 | 68% |
| University of Minnesota-Morris | About $9,000 | $18,995 | $50,919 | 63% |
| Bethany Lutheran College | About $20,000 | $23,000 | $46,110 | 55% |
| Crown College | About $27,000 | $22,500 | $48,057 | 45% |
| St. Catherine University | About $20,000 | $24,181 | $59,282 | 61% |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | About $12,000 | $21,500 | $58,170 | 66% |
| North Central University | About $26,000 | $23,200 | $45,064 | 66% |
| Hamline University | About $21,000 | $23,770 | $61,106 | 60% |
| Augsburg University | About $24,000 | $25,347 | $58,829 | 52% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Arkansas 3
- California 13
- Connecticut 10
- District of Columbia 3
- Georgia 8
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 10
- Iowa 10
- Kentucky 5
- Maine 11
- Maryland 9
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 7
- Mississippi 3
- Missouri 3
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 14
- New York 60
- North Carolina 10
- Ohio 21
- Oregon 6
- Pennsylvania 60
- Rhode Island 4
- Tennessee 3
- Texas 15
- Vermont 3
- Virginia 19
- Washington 4
- Wisconsin 24