Duluth, Minnesota Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Duluth, Minnesota shows: median public in-state tuition $14,610 (+165.1% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $64,275 (+18.3% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 95.0% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S.) 11,572 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 3 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 11,572 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $14,610 (+165.1% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $64,275 (+18.3% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 95.0% (+7.1 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $18,743 (+88.0% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $17,500
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 67.6%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 81.5%
Download the data
Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Duluth, Minnesota—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Minnesota and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Duluth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, Minnesota | $14,610 | $18,743 | $20,000 | 67.6% | 11,572 |
| 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: Duluth, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, Minnesota | $64,275 | 95.0% | 81.5% | 3.5% | — | 83.8% | 0.33 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, Minnesota | $14,610 | $18,743 | $20,000 | 67.6% | 11,572 | $64,275 | 95.0% |
| Minneapolis | $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% |
| 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 |
| Brooklyn Park | $5,940 | $11,229 | $14,750 | N/A | 6,608 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 70.5%, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
-
Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 64.7%, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Top 10 colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 95.9%, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
-
Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 94.1%, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
Top 10 most selective colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, Admission Rate, 88.8%, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
-
Rank 2, Admission Rate, 93.0%, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
Top 10 colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $77,781, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
-
Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $75,499, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
Top 10 colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $97,732, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
-
Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $85,824, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
Top 10 colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $62,332, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
-
Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $52,840, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Top 10 colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $64,743, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
-
Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $57,662, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Top 10 colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $65,934, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $62,616, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Top 10 colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $202,140, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $196,188, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, Net Price, $18,743, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
-
Rank 2, Net Price, $27,846, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
Top 10 colleges in Duluth, 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.
-
Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 81.8%, The College of Saint Scholastica
The College of Saint Scholastica
-
Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 81.1%, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
In-state tuition: Duluth, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Duluth, Minnesota median in-state tuition is $14,610, +165.1% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Duluth, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Duluth, Minnesota is $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $17,500.
Median earnings (10 years out): Duluth, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Duluth, Minnesota center around $64,275 (+18.3% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Duluth, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 95.0% at the median Duluth, Minnesota campus (+7.1 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
Duluth, Minnesota median public in-state tuition is $14,610, about +165.1% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +134.7%.
Median graduate debt is $20,000 (+48.9% 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 Duluth, Minnesota are $64,275, about +18.3% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 95.0% 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% (+7.1 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 81.5% 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 3.5% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 83.8% (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-Duluth (95.9%), The College of Saint Scholastica (94.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Duluth, Minnesota is 67.6% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Duluth?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 3 campuses in Duluth, Minnesota with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Duluth?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Duluth is $14,610 and median net price is $18,743. For Minnesota overall, medians are $6,249 and $13,322; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Duluth?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Duluth is $64,275 vs $58,680 for Minnesota and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Duluth colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Duluth is $20,000 vs $14,746 for Minnesota and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Duluth?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include The College of Saint Scholastica (graduation) and The College of Saint Scholastica (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Duluth?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 3 campuses in Duluth, Minnesota, 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (1).
Sources & related
- Minnesota college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON