Most selective colleges in Minnesota
Colleges that admit the smallest share of applicants.
Most selective colleges in Minnesota19 schools
19 schools qualify, ranked by admission rate.
How this list is made
- Schools in Minnesota.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has an admission rate from federal data (College Scorecard). Average SAT scores are shown where the college reports them.
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by admission rate, lowest first. Selectivity measures demand for places, not the quality of teaching.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Carleton College
Northfield, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Minnesota
- Admits 20%
- Average SAT 1517
- 2
Macalester College
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Minnesota
- Admits 29%
- Average SAT 1440
- 3
St. Olaf College
Northfield, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#3 in Minnesota
- Admits 48%
- Average SAT 1380
- 4
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, MN · Private nonprofit#5 in Minnesota
- Admits 61%
- Average SAT 1290
- 5
Concordia College at Moorhead
Moorhead, MN · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Admits 63%
- Average SAT 1190
- 6
University of Minnesota-Morris
Morris, MN · PublicTop 12% for low net price
- Admits 75%
- Average SAT 1150
- 7
- 8
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Admits 80%
- Average SAT 1362
- 9
University of St. Thomas
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- Admits 85%
- Average SAT 1296
- 10
Martin Luther College
New Ulm, MN · Private nonprofitTop 19% for graduation
- Admits 87%
- Average SAT 1090
- 11
- 12
- 13
Saint Johns University
Collegeville, MN · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- Admits 91%
- Average SAT 1183
- 14
College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, MN · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- Admits 92%
- Average SAT 1151
- 15
St. Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Admits 92%
- Average SAT 1147
- 16
The College of Saint Scholastica
Duluth, MN · Private nonprofitTop 19% for earnings
- Admits 93%
- Average SAT 1120
- 17
University of Northwestern-St. Paul
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- Admits 93%
- Average SAT 1173
- 18
Dunwoody College of Technology
Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofitTop 22% for low debt
- Admits 99%
- Average SAT 1120
- 19
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% |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | $22,900 | $26,774 | $65,607 | 77% |
| Concordia College at Moorhead | $24,902 | $26,847 | $59,317 | 61% |
| University of Minnesota-Morris | $8,837 | $18,995 | $50,919 | 63% |
| Winona State University | $17,503 | $21,500 | $58,532 | 57% |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | $16,778 | $19,500 | $69,020 | 85% |
| University of St. Thomas | $29,155 | $23,250 | $73,739 | 76% |
| Martin Luther College | $18,463 | $20,177 | $47,491 | 72% |
| Bethel University | $28,556 | $21,500 | $63,764 | 71% |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth | $18,743 | $22,024 | $62,616 | 65% |
| Saint Johns University | $25,672 | $27,000 | $76,786 | 75% |
| College of Saint Benedict | $26,640 | $26,944 | $63,260 | 77% |
| St. Catherine University | $19,764 | $24,181 | $59,282 | 61% |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | $27,846 | $20,000 | $65,934 | 71% |
| University of Northwestern-St. Paul | $27,705 | $21,325 | $50,755 | 68% |
| Dunwoody College of Technology | $26,939 | $16,000 | $61,511 | 66% |
| North Central University | $25,817 | $23,200 | $45,064 | 66% |
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 5
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 5
- California 57
- Colorado 7
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 20
- Georgia 9
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 16
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 9
- Maryland 16
- Massachusetts 46
- Michigan 21
- Missouri 19
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 17
- New York 79
- North Carolina 18
- Ohio 32
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 60
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 9
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 22
- Washington 12
- Wisconsin 15