Best mid-size colleges in Minnesota
Colleges with 2,000 to 10,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best mid-size colleges in Minnesota18 schools
18 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Minnesota.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- 2,000 to 10,000 undergraduate students (federal enrollment).
- 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
- 2,069 undergraduates
- 90% graduate
- 2
Macalester College
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Minnesota
- 2,142 undergraduates
- 87% graduate
- 3
St. Olaf College
Northfield, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#3 in Minnesota
- 3,074 undergraduates
- 84% graduate
- 4
University of St. Thomas
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- 6,044 undergraduates
- 76% graduate
- 5
- 6
Rasmussen University-Minnesota
St. Cloud, MN · Private for-profit#9 in Minnesota
- 8,054 undergraduates
- 53% graduate
- 7
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN · PublicTop 24% for earnings
- 8,525 undergraduates
- 65% graduate
- 8
University of Northwestern-St. Paul
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- 3,173 undergraduates
- 68% graduate
- 9
St. Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- 2,431 undergraduates
- 61% graduate
- 10
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Moorhead, MN · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- 3,413 undergraduates
- 57% graduate
- 11
- 12
- 13
University of Minnesota-Crookston
Crookston, MN · PublicTop 22% for low net price
- 2,518 undergraduates
- 50% graduate
- 14
Southwest Minnesota State University
Marshall, MN · PublicGood: Compass grade B-
- 6,884 undergraduates
- 45% graduate
- 15
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- 2,445 undergraduates
- 52% graduate
- 16
Concordia University-Saint Paul
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- 3,146 undergraduates
- 46% graduate
- 17
Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, MN · PublicTop 20% for earnings
- 5,271 undergraduates
- 44% graduate
- 18
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN · PublicSolid: Compass grade C+
- 8,430 undergraduates
- 40% 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 St. Thomas | $29,155 | $23,250 | $73,739 | 76% |
| Bethel University | $28,556 | $21,500 | $63,764 | 71% |
| Rasmussen University-Minnesota | $17,962 | $20,899 | $39,080 | 53% |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth | $18,743 | $22,024 | $62,616 | 65% |
| University of Northwestern-St. Paul | $27,705 | $21,325 | $50,755 | 68% |
| St. Catherine University | $19,764 | $24,181 | $59,282 | 61% |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead | $17,997 | $20,000 | $50,527 | 57% |
| Winona State University | $17,503 | $21,500 | $58,532 | 57% |
| Bemidji State University | $15,261 | $19,750 | $53,755 | 48% |
| University of Minnesota-Crookston | $12,212 | $20,500 | $58,056 | 50% |
| Southwest Minnesota State University | $15,291 | $20,500 | $51,342 | 45% |
| Augsburg University | $23,873 | $25,347 | $58,829 | 52% |
| Concordia University-Saint Paul | $18,462 | $17,832 | $59,871 | 46% |
| Metropolitan State University | $16,863 | $17,100 | $64,705 | 44% |
| Saint Cloud State University | $13,529 | $21,058 | $55,813 | 40% |
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 11
- Arkansas 9
- California 36
- Colorado 15
- Connecticut 14
- District of Columbia 4
- Florida 21
- Georgia 28
- Hawaii 4
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 24
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 5
- Kansas 5
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 12
- Maine 8
- Maryland 9
- Massachusetts 30
- Michigan 13
- Mississippi 5
- Missouri 16
- Nebraska 4
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 14
- New York 61
- North Carolina 12
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 32
- Oklahoma 9
- Oregon 7
- Pennsylvania 43
- Puerto Rico 20
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 12
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 15
- Texas 35
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 13
- Washington 9
- West Virginia 5
- Wisconsin 18
- Wyoming 3