Best colleges in Minnesota, ranked by ROI

Name: Minnesota colleges — cost, earnings and ROI rankings
Creator: Degree Dividend

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

We rank all 68 Minnesota institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $16,821/yr (below the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $49,427 ten years out (above the $43,549 national median). University of Minnesota-Rochester leads, clearing its cost in 2.7 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$16,821

Median net price / yr

Scorecard, 2026

$49,427

Median earnings, 10 yrs

Scorecard, 2026

7 yrs

Median payback

Our math, 2026

Colleges ranked

degreedividend.com

Minnesota colleges by payback (best first)

#	College	Net price/yr	Earnings 10y	Payback
1	University of Minnesota-Rochester	$13,744	$69,020	2.7 yrs
2	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	$16,778	$69,020	3.2 yrs
3	Saint Johns University	$25,672	$76,786	3.6 yrs
4	Carleton College	$25,407	$75,525	3.7 yrs
5	Dunwoody College of Technology	$26,939	$61,511	4.1 yrs
6	Metropolitan State University	$16,863	$64,705	4.1 yrs
7	University of St Thomas	$29,155	$73,739	4.6 yrs
8	Saint Mary's University of Minnesota	$11,704	$58,170	4.8 yrs
9	University of Minnesota-Crookston	$12,212	$58,056	5 yrs
10	Gustavus Adolphus College	$22,900	$65,607	5.3 yrs
11	University of Minnesota-Duluth	$18,743	$62,616	5.3 yrs
12	St Olaf College	$23,874	$65,543	5.6 yrs
13	The College of Saint Scholastica	$27,846	$65,934	6.3 yrs
14	Concordia University-Saint Paul	$18,462	$59,871	6.4 yrs
15	Hamline University	$20,744	$61,106	6.5 yrs
16	Winona State University	$17,503	$58,532	6.9 yrs
17	College of Saint Benedict	$26,640	$63,260	7.2 yrs
18	St Catherine University	$19,764	$59,282	7.2 yrs
19	Saint Cloud State University	$13,529	$55,813	7.3 yrs
20	Bethel University	$28,556	$63,764	7.4 yrs
21	Dakota County Technical College	$13,548	$51,938	7.6 yrs
22	Macalester College	$32,149	$63,878	8.3 yrs
23	North Hennepin Community College	$12,186	$51,142	8.8 yrs
24	Minnesota State University-Mankato	$19,139	$56,922	8.9 yrs
25	Augsburg University	$23,873	$58,829	9.1 yrs
26	Concordia College at Moorhead	$24,902	$59,317	9.1 yrs
27	Bemidji State University	$15,261	$53,755	11.3 yrs
28	University of Minnesota-Morris	$8,837	$50,919	13.8 yrs
29	Normandale Community College	$12,972	$50,207	14 yrs
30	Inver Hills Community College	$11,636	$49,898	15.1 yrs
31	Southwest Minnesota State University	$15,291	$51,342	20.5 yrs
32	Alexandria Technical & Community College	$13,691	$49,393	26.5 yrs
33	Minnesota State University Moorhead	$17,997	$50,527	33.2 yrs
34	Hennepin Technical College	$10,272	$49,460	37.4 yrs
35	University of Northwestern-St Paul	$27,705	$50,755	46.3 yrs
36	Northwestern Health Sciences University	$35,887	$48,666	234.6 yrs
37	Anoka-Ramsey Community College	$16,434	$48,342	no payback
38	St Cloud Technical and Community College	$9,635	$46,874	no payback
39	Lake Superior College	$15,492	$46,449	no payback
40	Minnesota North College	$10,432	$45,570	no payback
41	Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College	$12,677	$45,665	no payback
42	Anoka Technical College	$16,953	$47,746	no payback
43	Minnesota State Community and Technical College	$12,556	$45,591	no payback
44	Century College	$10,906	$46,424	no payback
45	South Central College	$9,082	$45,068	no payback
46	Rochester Community and Technical College	$14,435	$45,287	no payback
47	Martin Luther College	$18,463	$47,491	no payback
48	Riverland Community College	$7,427	$45,247	no payback
49	Minnesota West Community and Technical College	$11,191	$45,285	no payback
50	Northland Community and Technical College	$13,975	$44,425	no payback
51	Ridgewater College	$10,046	$43,827	no payback
52	Crown College	$26,672	$48,057	no payback
53	Bethany Lutheran College	$20,148	$46,110	no payback
54	Central Lakes College-Brainerd	$13,869	$42,162	no payback
55	Northwest Technical College	$10,996	$42,930	no payback
56	Minnesota State College Southeast	$16,140	$43,613	no payback
57	North Central University	$25,817	$45,064	no payback
58	Pine Technical & Community College	$12,798	$41,232	no payback
59	Capella University	$17,956	$42,189	no payback
60	Minneapolis Community and Technical College	$13,812	$40,086	no payback
61	Saint Paul College	$11,495	$38,399	no payback
62	Walden University	$33,817	$42,810	no payback
63	Rasmussen University-Minnesota	$17,962	$39,080	no payback
64	Minneapolis College of Art and Design	$29,926	$40,873	no payback
65	Herzing University-Minneapolis	$16,670	$36,909	no payback
66	Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Minneapolis	$18,345	$34,659	no payback
67	Nova Academy of Cosmetology	$21,473	$32,156	no payback
68	Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center	$17,649	$22,606	no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in Minnesota: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in Minnesota?

University of Minnesota-Rochester. It charges $13,744/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $69,020 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 2.7 years — the fastest payback of the 68 Minnesota colleges we track.

How much does college cost in Minnesota?

The median net price across Minnesota colleges is $16,821/yr after grants and scholarships — below the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.

What do Minnesota college graduates earn?

A median $49,427 ten years after entry (Scorecard), above the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.

How many Minnesota colleges pay for themselves?

36 of the 68 Minnesota colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.