Moorhead, Minnesota Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Moorhead, Minnesota shows: median public in-state tuition $10,428 (+89.2% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $54,922 (+1.1% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 94.7% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S.) 4,901 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 3 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 4,901 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $10,428 (+89.2% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $54,922 (+1.1% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 94.7% (+6.7 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $21,450 (+115.2% 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): 59.2%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 79.3%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Moorhead, Minnesota—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Minnesota and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Moorhead 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moorhead, Minnesota | $10,428 | $21,450 | $20,000 | 59.2% | 4,901 |
| 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: Moorhead, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moorhead, Minnesota | $54,922 | 94.7% | 79.3% | 3.2% | — | 83.7% | 0.42 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moorhead, Minnesota | $10,428 | $21,450 | $20,000 | 59.2% | 4,901 | $54,922 | 94.7% |
| 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% |
| 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 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Moorhead, 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, 61.1%, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 57.3%, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Top 10 colleges in Moorhead, 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, 95.9%, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 93.4%, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Top 10 most selective colleges in Moorhead, 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, 58.8%, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 62.6%, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
Top 10 colleges in Moorhead, 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, $78,006, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $73,174, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
Top 10 colleges in Moorhead, 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, $93,431, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $83,452, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
Top 10 colleges in Moorhead, 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, $48,225, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,873, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Top 10 colleges in Moorhead, 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, $53,785, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $47,860, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Top 10 colleges in Moorhead, 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, $59,317, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $50,527, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Top 10 colleges in Moorhead, 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, $151,240, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $140,628, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Moorhead, 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, $17,997, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
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Rank 2, Net Price, $24,902, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
Top 10 colleges in Moorhead, 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, 83.6%, Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia College at Moorhead
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 75.0%, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
In-state tuition: Moorhead, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Moorhead, Minnesota median in-state tuition is $10,428, +89.2% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Moorhead, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Moorhead, Minnesota is $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $17,500.
Median earnings (10 years out): Moorhead, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Moorhead, Minnesota center around $54,922 (+1.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Moorhead, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 94.7% at the median Moorhead, Minnesota campus (+6.7 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
Moorhead, Minnesota median public in-state tuition is $10,428, about +89.2% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +67.5%.
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 Moorhead, Minnesota are $54,922, about +1.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 94.7% 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% (+6.7 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 79.3% 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 3.2% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 83.7% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Concordia College at Moorhead (95.9%), Minnesota State University Moorhead (93.4%)—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 Moorhead, Minnesota is 59.2% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Moorhead?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 3 campuses in Moorhead, Minnesota with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Moorhead?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Moorhead is $10,428 and median net price is $21,450. For Minnesota overall, medians are $6,249 and $13,322; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Moorhead?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Moorhead is $54,922 vs $58,680 for Minnesota and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Moorhead colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Moorhead is $20,000 vs $14,746 for Minnesota and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Moorhead?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Concordia College at Moorhead (graduation) and Concordia College at Moorhead (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Moorhead?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 3 campuses in Moorhead, Minnesota, 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Evangelical Lutheran Church (1).
Sources & related
- Minnesota college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON