The cost of college in Minnesota — and what it pays back
Across the 68 Minnesota institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $16,821/yr, $81 below the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $49,427 ten years after entry (above the $43,549 national median), and 36 of the 68 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How Minnesota's 68 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota-Rochester | $13,744 | $69,020 | 2.7 yrs |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | $16,778 | $69,020 | 3.2 yrs |
| Saint Johns University | $25,672 | $76,786 | 3.6 yrs |
| Carleton College | $25,407 | $75,525 | 3.7 yrs |
| Dunwoody College of Technology | $26,939 | $61,511 | 4.1 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverland Community College | $7,427 | $45,247 | no payback |
| University of Minnesota-Morris | $8,837 | $50,919 | 13.8 yrs |
| South Central College | $9,082 | $45,068 | no payback |
| St Cloud Technical and Community College | $9,635 | $46,874 | no payback |
| Ridgewater College | $10,046 | $43,827 | no payback |
How many Minnesota colleges actually pay for themselves?
36 of 68 — 53% of the Minnesota institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do Minnesota graduates out-earn the national median?
Minnesota graduates report a median $49,427 ten years after entry, $5,878 above the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.