Regional university
#5 Best colleges in the Minneapolis–St. Paul areaUniversity of Northwestern-St. Paul
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $27,705 a year
Median debt at graduation: $21,325 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#202 of 1,046
- Best colleges in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area#5 of 17
In Minnesota
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.68%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.83%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,173 · ACT 24
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.16 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$8,516
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $51,325 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 3,173 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 44% · Women 56% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 16% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 26% |
| Total students | 3,262 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $27,705 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $51,325 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $21,325 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 68% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 64% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 58% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 76% |
| First-year retention | 83% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $50,755 |
| Admission rate | 93% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | No application fee |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 16% |
| Average SAT | 1173 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 430–608 |
| SAT math | 438–663 |
| ACT composite | 20–28 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Accounting | |
| Business administration | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Marketing | |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | |
| Broadcasting | |
| Secondary education | |
| Theology | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Psychology | |
| Music | |
| Teacher education | |
| Design | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Applied mathematics, Biochemistry, Biology, Clinical and counseling psychology, Communication studies, Computer science, Data Processing, Engineering (general), Engineering-Related Fields, Finance, Fine arts, Graphic communications, Health administration, History, Human resources, Information science, Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies, Interdisciplinary studies, International business, Liberal arts, Management information systems, Management science, Mathematics, Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology, Pastoral counseling, Philosophy, Political science, Pre-health, Public relations, Romance languages, Social sciences, Teaching English as a second language, Theatre, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Education | |
| Theology and religious studies | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 8% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $11,534 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Upper Midwest Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 16 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $9,179Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 30% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)About 11 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 307,2842020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | St. PaulAbout 7 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 13°F1991–2020 normal, from U OF MN ST PAUL, MN US, about 3 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 72°F1991–2020 normal, from U OF MN ST PAUL, MN US, about 3 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is University of Northwestern-St. Paul’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 32% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does University of Northwestern-St. Paul cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $27,705 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into University of Northwestern-St. Paul?
- University of Northwestern-St. Paul admitted 93% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do University of Northwestern-St. Paul’s graduates do?
- 68% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $50,755; the median federal debt at graduation is $21,325.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 174491
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (small programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Other Protestant
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Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
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