Rochester, Minnesota Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Rochester, Minnesota: median public in-state tuition $6,616 (+16.1% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $74,314 (+25.1% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 95.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $11,871 (-12.1% vs U.S.) 4,447 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Rochester serve students across Minnesota with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 4 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 4,447 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $6,616. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Rochester, Minnesota and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Rochester 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, Minnesota | $6,616 | $17,465 | $11,871 | 80.4% | 4,447 |
| Minnesota (state median) | $6,572 | $16,772 | $14,044 | 62.0% | 228,926 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Rochester, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, Minnesota | $74,314 | 95.3% | 70.4% | 3.2% | — | 81.9% | 0.26 |
| Minnesota (state median) | $63,743 | 94.9% | 79.5% | 3.5% | — | 82.1% | 0.33 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, Minnesota | $6,616 | $17,465 | $11,871 | 80.4% | 4,447 | $74,314 | 95.3% |
| Minneapolis | $18,482 | $22,472 | $19,350 | 56.8% | 71,164 | $52,984 | 92.8% |
| Saint Paul | $38,946 | $23,688 | $21,500 | 69.7% | 28,385 | $65,672 | 93.8% |
| Mankato | $11,843 | $20,646 | $21,000 | 57.1% | 12,372 | $56,446 | 95.8% |
| Duluth | $15,200 | $17,395 | $19,510 | 65.4% | 11,572 | $69,994 | 96.4% |
| Duluth | $15,200 | $17,395 | $19,510 | 65.4% | 11,572 | $69,994 | 96.4% |
| Saint Cloud | $8,610 | $16,062 | $12,000 | 44.5% | 8,400 | $59,509 | 94.7% |
| Winona | $11,232 | $17,842 | $19,500 | 61.7% | 7,605 | $66,031 | 95.7% |
| Bloomington | $11,535 | $18,780 | $15,000 | 67.3% | 7,580 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top college in Rochester, 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, 60.7%, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Top college in Rochester, 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, 95.3%, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Most selective college in Rochester, 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, 71.0%, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Top college in Rochester, 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, $47,952, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Top college in Rochester, 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, $74,079, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Top college in Rochester, 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, $61,634, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Top college in Rochester, 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, $69,502, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Top college in Rochester, 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, $74,314, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Top college in Rochester, 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, $276,331, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Most affordable college in Rochester, 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, $13,319, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Top college in Rochester, 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, 70.4%, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
In-state tuition: Rochester, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Rochester, Minnesota median in-state tuition is $6,616, +16.1% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Rochester, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Rochester, Minnesota is $11,871 (-12.1% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $15,125.
Median earnings (10 years out): Rochester, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Rochester, Minnesota center around $74,314 (+25.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Rochester, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 95.3% at the median Rochester, Minnesota campus (+2.3 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
Rochester, Minnesota median public in-state tuition is $6,616, about +16.1% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +1.2%.
Median graduate debt is $11,871 (-12.1% below the U.S. median of $13,500). 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 Rochester, Minnesota are $74,314, about +25.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 95.3% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (+2.3 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 70.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—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 81.9% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Minnesota-Rochester (95.3%)—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 Rochester, Minnesota is 80.4% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Rochester?
This city profile covers 4 campuses in Rochester, Minnesota with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Rochester?
Median in-state tuition in Rochester is $6,616 and median net price is $17,465. For Minnesota overall, medians are $6,572 and $16,772; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Rochester?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Rochester is $74,314 vs $63,743 for Minnesota and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Rochester colleges?
Median completer debt in Rochester is $11,871 vs $14,044 for Minnesota and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Rochester?
Top campuses on this page include University of Minnesota-Rochester (graduation) and University of Minnesota-Rochester (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Rochester?
Among 4 College Scorecard campuses in Rochester, Minnesota, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, none report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment, and none report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Minnesota college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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