Best Education Colleges in Minnesota2026 Rankings
Choosing the right Education program in Minnesota means weighing more than just name recognition. We analyzed 33 colleges across the state, scoring each on the metrics that matter most to long-term career success: graduation rates, post-graduation earnings, net cost, and academic rigor.
The data tells an interesting story: Macalester College leads on selectivity (28% acceptance rate), but selectivity is only one dimension of quality. Across Minnesota's Education programs, the typical in-state price is $31,102 and the average graduation rate is 65%. Graduates of these programs earn a median of $40,995 within one year of completing their degree.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macalester CollegePrivate | Excellent· 46 | 28% | 90% | $13,050 | $34,157 | 10:1 | 37 | 2,131 |
| 2 | St Olaf CollegePrivate | Excellent· 45 | 52% | 84% | $15,236 | $37,341 | 12:1 | 36 | 3,049 |
| 3 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesPublic | Excellent· 44 | 77% | 85% | $10,861 | $48,339 | 16:1 | 119 | 30,469 |
| 4 | Gustavus Adolphus CollegePrivate | Great· 41 | 62% | 76% | $17,611 | $41,780 | 11:1 | 38 | 1,930 |
| 5 | University of Minnesota-MorrisPublic | Great· 41 | 70% | 62% | $5,967 | $46,414 | 9:1 | 36 | 980 |
| 6 | College of Saint BenedictPrivate | Great· 39 | 91% | 83% | $22,544 | $43,466 | 11:1 | 36 | 1,392 |
| 7 | University of St ThomasPrivate | Strong· 37 | 85% | 75% | $26,471 | $42,819 | 13:1 | 65 | 6,014 |
| 8 | Concordia College at MoorheadPrivate | Strong· 37 | 63% | 72% | $21,948 | $45,161 | 12:1 | 47 | 1,721 |
| 9 | Saint Johns UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 90% | 76% | $17,390 | $48,669 | 12:1 | 37 | 1,468 |
| 10 | University of Minnesota-CrookstonPublic | Strong· 36 | 58% | 50% | $8,362 | $48,325 | 17:1 | 32 | 1,650 |
| 11 | Bethany Lutheran CollegePrivate | Strong· 36 | 51% | 60% | $16,099 | $37,463 | 12:1 | 30 | 682 |
| 12 | The College of Saint ScholasticaPrivate | Strong· 35 | 94% | 63% | $18,824 | $64,303 | 10:1 | 39 | 1,725 |
| 13 | Saint Mary's University of MinnesotaPrivate | Strong· 35 | 89% | 68% | $14,418 | $61,427 | 18:1 | 70 | 1,061 |
| 14 | University of Minnesota-DuluthPublic | Strong· 35 | 82% | 64% | $11,619 | $46,383 | 16:1 | 69 | 7,475 |
| 15 | Bethel UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 91% | 75% | $22,279 | $50,679 | 12:1 | 53 | 2,012 |
| 16 | Winona State UniversityPublic | Strong· 35 | 69% | 61% | $15,495 | $46,697 | 15:1 | 52 | 5,088 |
| 17 | Concordia University-Saint PaulPrivate | Strong· 34 | 75% | 59% | $15,449 | $41,456 | 15:1 | 42 | 2,786 |
| 18 | Minnesota State University MoorheadPublic | Strong· 34 | 53% | 55% | $14,544 | $44,449 | 17:1 | 61 | 3,120 |
| 19 | Southwest Minnesota State UniversityPublic | Strong· 34 | 69% | 44% | $12,810 | $44,949 | 16:1 | 42 | 2,045 |
| 20 | Bemidji State UniversityPublic | Strong· 34 | 71% | 53% | $13,262 | $42,841 | 16:1 | 46 | 3,120 |
| 21 | St Catherine UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 94% | 65% | $19,862 | $32,946 | 10:1 | 53 | 2,393 |
| 22 | Augsburg UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 77% | 52% | $20,478 | $46,900 | 13:1 | 55 | 2,429 |
| 23 | University of Northwestern-St PaulPrivate | Good· 31 | 92% | 68% | $20,077 | $39,621 | 15:1 | 46 | 1,495 |
| 24 | North Central UniversityPrivate | Good· 31 | 91% | 64% | $21,877 | $37,902 | 11:1 | 43 | 802 |
| 25 | Saint Cloud State UniversityPublic | Good· 31 | 95% | 47% | $13,125 | $46,662 | 17:1 | 74 | 5,181 |
| 26 | Hamline UniversityPrivate | Good· 30 | 90% | 58% | $19,628 | $36,976 | 13:1 | 47 | 1,685 |
| 27 | Martin Luther CollegePrivate | Good· 30 | 83% | 71% | $17,415 | $40,540 | 10:1 | 7 | 718 |
| 28 | Metropolitan State UniversityPublic | Average· 29 | 96% | 38% | $18,128 | $53,416 | 14:1 | 46 | 4,998 |
| 29 | Crown CollegePrivate | Average· 28 | 63% | 64% | $26,296 | $35,840 | 22:1 | 29 | 789 |
| 30 | Minnesota State University-MankatoPublic | Average· 28 | 91% | 54% | $15,200 | $47,132 | 21:1 | 78 | 11,325 |