Minneapolis, Minnesota Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Minneapolis, Minnesota shows: median public in-state tuition $17,214 (+212.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $43,937 (-19.1% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 89.4% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $19,500 (+45.2% vs U.S.) 71,164 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 11 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 71,164 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $17,214 (+212.3% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $43,937 (-19.1% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 89.4% (+1.5 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $21,109 (+111.8% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $19,500 (+45.2% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $17,500
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 66.1%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 73.4%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Minneapolis, Minnesota—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Minnesota and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Minneapolis vs Minnesota & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, Minnesota | $17,214 | $21,109 | $19,500 | 66.1% | 71,164 |
| Minnesota (state median) | $6,249 | $13,322 | $14,746 | 57.5% | 229,048 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Minneapolis, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, Minnesota | $43,937 | 89.4% | 73.4% | 4.1% | — | 71.9% | 0.46 |
| Minnesota (state median) | $58,680 | 93.4% | 79.5% | 3.5% | — | 82.1% | 0.38 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Minnesota (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, Minnesota | $17,214 | $21,109 | $19,500 | 66.1% | 71,164 | $43,937 | 89.4% |
| Saint Paul | $44,226 | $20,744 | $21,500 | 64.7% | 28,385 | $62,435 | 92.4% |
| Mankato | $11,490 | $19,644 | $21,106 | 54.4% | 12,372 | $51,516 | 93.6% |
| Duluth | $14,610 | $18,743 | $20,000 | 67.6% | 11,572 | $64,275 | 95.0% |
| Duluth | $14,610 | $18,743 | $20,000 | 67.6% | 11,572 | $64,275 | 95.0% |
| Saint Cloud | $8,184 | $10,946 | $12,000 | 40.3% | 8,400 | $55,813 | 93.8% |
| Winona | $10,576 | $16,140 | $21,500 | 61.5% | 7,605 | $58,351 | 95.2% |
| Bloomington | $11,490 | $29,093 | $12,000 | 36.0% | 7,580 | N/A | N/A |
| Bloomington | $11,490 | $29,093 | $12,000 | 36.0% | 7,580 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 3 | $45,064 | 89.8% | 74.6% | 3.7% | — | 74.4% |
Top 10 colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 85.3%, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 66.3%, North Central University
North Central University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 51.7%, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 51.2%, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Rank 5, Graduation Rate, 20.0%, Capella University
Capella University
Top 10 colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 93.6%, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 93.4%, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 89.8%, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 89.0%, North Central University
North Central University
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 80.6%, Walden University
Walden University
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 77.1%, Capella University
Capella University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 48.5%, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 79.8%, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 82.0%, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 99.0%, North Central University
North Central University
Top 10 colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $88,877, Walden University
Walden University
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $86,085, Capella University
Capella University
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $85,672, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $80,574, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $49,715, North Central University
North Central University
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Rank 6, Entry-Level Earnings, $26,156, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Top 10 colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $119,781, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $109,194, Capella University
Capella University
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $106,892, Walden University
Walden University
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $95,637, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $61,287, North Central University
North Central University
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Rank 6, Early-Career Earnings, $43,745, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Top 10 colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $57,984, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $50,657, Walden University
Walden University
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $48,616, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $48,500, Capella University
Capella University
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,688, North Central University
North Central University
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $35,198, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Top 10 colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $63,477, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $53,837, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $47,015, Walden University
Walden University
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $43,273, Capella University
Capella University
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,804, North Central University
North Central University
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,565, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Top 10 colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $69,020, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $58,829, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $45,064, North Central University
North Central University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,810, Walden University
Walden University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,189, Capella University
Capella University
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,873, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Top 10 colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $231,765, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $149,466, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $131,054, Capella University
Capella University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $89,866, North Central University
North Central University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $63,562, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $16,778, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 2, Net Price, $17,956, Capella University
Capella University
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Rank 3, Net Price, $23,873, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 4, Net Price, $25,817, North Central University
North Central University
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Rank 5, Net Price, $29,926, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Rank 6, Net Price, $33,817, Walden University
Walden University
Top 10 colleges in Minneapolis, Minnesota by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 91.1%, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 82.2%, North Central University
North Central University
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 74.6%, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 72.3%, Augsburg University
Augsburg University
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Rank 5, First-Year Retention, 41.7%, Capella University
Capella University
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Rank 6, First-Year Retention, 0.0%, Walden University
Walden University
In-state tuition: Minneapolis, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Minneapolis, Minnesota median in-state tuition is $17,214, +212.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Minneapolis, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Minneapolis, Minnesota is $19,500 (+45.2% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $17,500.
Median earnings (10 years out): Minneapolis, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Minneapolis, Minnesota center around $43,937 (-19.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Minneapolis, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 89.4% at the median Minneapolis, Minnesota campus (+1.5 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Minneapolis, Minnesota median public in-state tuition is $17,214, about +212.3% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +176.5%.
Median graduate debt is $19,500 (+45.2% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Minneapolis, Minnesota are $43,937, about -19.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 89.4% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (+1.5 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 73.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 4.1% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 71.9% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (93.6%), Augsburg University (93.4%), Minneapolis College of Art and Design (89.8%), North Central University (89.0%), Walden University (80.6%), Capella University (77.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Minneapolis, Minnesota, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $45,064 (3 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Minneapolis, Minnesota is 66.1% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Minneapolis?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 11 campuses in Minneapolis, Minnesota with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Minneapolis?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Minneapolis is $17,214 and median net price is $21,109. For Minnesota overall, medians are $6,249 and $13,322; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Minneapolis?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Minneapolis is $43,937 vs $58,680 for Minnesota and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Minneapolis colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Minneapolis is $19,500 vs $14,746 for Minnesota and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Minneapolis?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (graduation) and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Minneapolis?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 11 campuses in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 3 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Evangelical Lutheran Church (1), Assemblies of God Church (1), Baptist (1).
Sources & related
- Minnesota college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON