Rochester, Minnesota Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Rochester, Minnesota: median public in-state tuition $6,389 (+15.9% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $69,020 (+26.9% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 93.6% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $12,622 (-4.9% vs U.S.) 4,447 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 4 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 4,447 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $6,389 (+15.9% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $69,020 (+26.9% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 93.6% (+5.6 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $14,435 (+44.8% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $12,622 (-4.9% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $16,750
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 57.4%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 70.4%
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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 $6,389. 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 | $6,389 | $14,435 | $12,622 | 57.4% | 4,447 |
| Minnesota (state median) | $6,249 | $13,322 | $14,750 | 58.0% | 228,926 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
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 | $69,020 | 93.6% | 70.4% | 3.2% | — | 81.9% | 0.28 |
| Minnesota (state median) | $58,680 | 93.4% | 79.5% | 3.5% | — | 82.1% | 0.38 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, Minnesota | $6,389 | $14,435 | $12,622 | 57.4% | 4,447 | $69,020 | 93.6% |
| 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 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
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, 57.4%, 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, 93.6%, 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, $53,988, 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, $57,984, 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, $63,477, 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, $69,020, 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, $248,740, 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, $13,744, 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 $6,389, +15.9% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Rochester, Minnesota vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Rochester, Minnesota is $12,622 (-4.9% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $16,750.
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 $69,020 (+26.9% 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 93.6% at the median Rochester, Minnesota campus (+5.6 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 $6,389, about +15.9% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +2.6%.
Median graduate debt is $12,622 (-4.9% below the U.S. median of $13,271). 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 $69,020, about +26.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 93.6% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (+5.6 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. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Minnesota-Rochester (93.6%)—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 57.4% (national institution average about 50.3%).
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 $6,389 and median net price is $14,435. For Minnesota overall, medians are $6,249 and $13,322; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Rochester?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Rochester is $69,020 vs $58,680 for Minnesota and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Rochester colleges?
Median completer debt in Rochester is $12,622 vs $14,750 for Minnesota and $13,271 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, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Minnesota college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON