2021 Best Colleges in Minnesota by Salary Score™
This list of the top 25 schools in Minnesota is ranked using our Salary Score and highlights colleges whose alumni tend to earn higher salaries compared to alumni from the same majors at other colleges. Our Salary Score is calculated by comparing median alumni salaries for each program to salary data for the same programs across all universities. We then compiled these program scores into an overall Salary Score for each college to indicate how well alumni as a whole fare in their chosen fields of study. Even though the state has a low cost of living compared to the national average, Minnesota graduates tended to earn higher-than-average salaries overall. Minnesota is #5 in the top states for bachelor's degree salaries, and all of the top 25 schools have a higher Salary Score than the median for U.S. colleges and universities.
To be considered for our state rankings, schools must offer and provide data for at least 8 bachelor's programs. You can click on a school's name to view individual program scores. Read our methodology to learn more about how schools were ranked.
| Rank | School | Annual Tuition | Salary Scoreâ„¢ |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota-Crookston | $13,288 | 82.95 | |
| Concordia University - St. Paul | $25,600 | 79.36 | |
| University of St. Thomas | $54,398 | 77.64 | |
| Metropolitan State University | $9,840 | 75.24 | |
| Saint John's University - MN | $55,816 | 75.02 | |
| College of Saint Benedict | $55,756 | 74.57 | |
| Minnesota State University at Mankato | $9,572 | 70.85 | |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | $45,080 | 70.64 | |
| University of Northwestern - St. Paul | $37,920 | 70.44 | |
| Bethel University - MN | $44,226 | 68.62 | |
| Winona State University | $10,576 | 67.15 | |
| North Central University | $32,220 | 65.43 | |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | $56,076 | 64.24 | |
| Minnesota State University - Moorhead | $10,428 | 62.78 | |
| Augsburg University | $45,452 | 62.51 | |
| Bemidji State University | $10,237 | 61.33 | |
| Hamline University | $50,004 | 59.72 | |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth | $14,610 | 59.10 | |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | $41,778 | 55.01 | |
| Concordia College at Moorhead | $31,170 | 54.78 | |
| Southwest Minnesota State University | $10,361 | 52.91 |