Best colleges in Minnesota
Every accredited four-year college ranked by the Compass Score: outcomes, entering students, cost and teaching, from federal data.
Best colleges in Minnesota40 schools
40 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Minnesota.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- 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
- Value grade A- · Top 20%
- 90% graduate
- 2
Macalester College
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Minnesota
- Value grade B-
- 87% graduate
- 3
St. Olaf College
Northfield, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#3 in Minnesota
- Value grade B · Top 50%
- 84% graduate
- 4
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Value grade A · Top 9%
- 85% graduate
- 5
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, MN · Private nonprofit#5 in Minnesota
- Value grade B · Top 49%
- 77% graduate
- 6
University of St. Thomas
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- Value grade B · Top 50%
- 76% graduate
- 7
- 8
Saint Johns University
Collegeville, MN · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- Value grade B · Top 46%
- 75% graduate
- 9
Rasmussen University-Minnesota
St. Cloud, MN · Private for-profit#9 in Minnesota
- Value grade B-
- 53% graduate
- 10
College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, MN · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- Value grade B-
- 77% graduate
- 11
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN · PublicTop 24% for earnings
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 65% graduate
- 12
Martin Luther College
New Ulm, MN · Private nonprofitTop 19% for graduation
- Value grade B · Top 48%
- 72% graduate
- 13
The College of Saint Scholastica
Duluth, MN · Private nonprofitTop 19% for earnings
- Value grade B · Top 48%
- 71% graduate
- 14
Concordia College at Moorhead
Moorhead, MN · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Value grade B-
- 61% graduate
- 15
University of Northwestern-St. Paul
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 68% graduate
- 16
University of Minnesota-Morris
Morris, MN · PublicTop 12% for low net price
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 63% graduate
- 17
Bethany Lutheran College
Mankato, MN · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Value grade B-
- 55% graduate
- 18
Dunwoody College of Technology
Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofitTop 22% for low debt
- Value grade B · Top 41%
- 66% graduate
- 19
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Value grade C+
- 45% graduate
- 20
St. Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Value grade B · Top 41%
- 61% graduate
- 21
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Rochester, MN · PublicTop 15% for earnings
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 57% graduate
- 22
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN · Private nonprofitTop 20% for low net price
- Value grade A- · Top 12%
- 66% graduate
- 23
North Central University
Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Value grade C+
- 66% graduate
- 24
Hamline University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Value grade B · Top 41%
- 60% graduate
- 25
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Moorhead, MN · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Value grade B · Top 40%
- 57% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton College | $25,407 | $16,750 | $75,525 | 90% |
| Macalester College | $32,149 | $23,000 | $63,878 | 87% |
| St. Olaf College | $23,874 | $26,000 | $65,543 | 84% |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | $16,778 | $19,500 | $69,020 | 85% |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | $22,900 | $26,774 | $65,607 | 77% |
| University of St. Thomas | $29,155 | $23,250 | $73,739 | 76% |
| Bethel University | $28,556 | $21,500 | $63,764 | 71% |
| Saint Johns University | $25,672 | $27,000 | $76,786 | 75% |
| Rasmussen University-Minnesota | $17,962 | $20,899 | $39,080 | 53% |
| College of Saint Benedict | $26,640 | $26,944 | $63,260 | 77% |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth | $18,743 | $22,024 | $62,616 | 65% |
| Martin Luther College | $18,463 | $20,177 | $47,491 | 72% |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | $27,846 | $20,000 | $65,934 | 71% |
| Concordia College at Moorhead | $24,902 | $26,847 | $59,317 | 61% |
| University of Northwestern-St. Paul | $27,705 | $21,325 | $50,755 | 68% |
| University of Minnesota-Morris | $8,837 | $18,995 | $50,919 | 63% |
| Bethany Lutheran College | $20,148 | $23,000 | $46,110 | 55% |
| Dunwoody College of Technology | $26,939 | $16,000 | $61,511 | 66% |
| Crown College | $26,672 | $22,500 | $48,057 | 45% |
| St. Catherine University | $19,764 | $24,181 | $59,282 | 61% |
| University of Minnesota-Rochester | $13,744 | $19,500 | $69,020 | 57% |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | $11,704 | $21,500 | $58,170 | 66% |
| North Central University | $25,817 | $23,200 | $45,064 | 66% |
| Hamline University | $20,744 | $23,770 | $61,106 | 60% |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead | $17,997 | $20,000 | $50,527 | 57% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 26
- Alaska 5
- Arizona 16
- Arkansas 23
- California 128
- Colorado 26
- Connecticut 26
- Delaware 4
- District of Columbia 9
- Florida 61
- Georgia 60
- Hawaii 6
- Idaho 9
- Illinois 57
- Indiana 45
- Iowa 30
- Kansas 27
- Kentucky 29
- Louisiana 24
- Maine 19
- Maryland 26
- Massachusetts 67
- Michigan 44
- Mississippi 16
- Missouri 53
- Montana 10
- Nebraska 19
- Nevada 6
- New Hampshire 13
- New Jersey 36
- New Mexico 11
- New York 135
- North Carolina 55
- North Dakota 9
- Ohio 99
- Oklahoma 23
- Oregon 21
- Pennsylvania 118
- Puerto Rico 52
- Rhode Island 11
- South Carolina 35
- South Dakota 11
- Tennessee 43
- Texas 85
- Utah 16
- Vermont 9
- Virginia 51
- Washington 24
- West Virginia 19
- Wisconsin 36
- Wyoming 3