Best Grad Schools in Minnesota 2024

Badge for BEST IN MINNESOTA GRADUATE SCHOOLS

Published: Apr 13, 2021
Updated: Aug 16, 2024

Graduate school may be a critical step in your higher education, whether you are interested in expanding your knowledge, learning a specialization, or earning advanced credentials required by your profession. The best graduate schools in Minnesota offer advanced degrees, such as master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as opportunities for independent research, mentorships, and professional networking.

University of Minnesota
Hamline University
University of Minnesota Duluth
University of St. Thomas
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Minnesota State University Moorhead
St. Cloud State University
Winona State University
Bethel University
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota 97%
St. Cloud State University 95%
Metropolitan State University 82%
University of Minnesota Duluth 81%
Hamline University 81%
University of St. Thomas 77%
University of Minnesota 75%
Winona State University 74%
Bethel University 72%
Minnesota State University, Mankato 71%

Minnesota State University, Mankato 21 to 1
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota 17 to 1
Minnesota State University Moorhead 17 to 1
University of Minnesota Duluth 16 to 1
University of Minnesota 16 to 1
Winona State University 16 to 1
St. Cloud State University 16 to 1
Metropolitan State University 14 to 1
Hamline University 13 to 1
Concordia University, St. Paul 13 to 1

University of St. Thomas $50,366
Hamline University $46,616
Bethel University $41,270
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota $41,150
Concordia University, St. Paul $24,400
University of Minnesota $14,006
University of Minnesota Duluth $12,638
Metropolitan State University $9,684
Minnesota State University Moorhead $8,838
St. Cloud State University $8,811

University of St. Thomas $26,619
University of Minnesota Duluth $18,468
University of Minnesota $18,468
Bethel University $11,981
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota $11,835
Hamline University $10,321
Minnesota State University Moorhead $10,292
Metropolitan State University $9,828
St. Cloud State University $9,127
Minnesota State University, Mankato $8,836

Concordia University, St. Paul
Bethel University
Metropolitan State University
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona State University
St. Cloud State University
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Hamline University
University of St. Thomas

Concordia University, St. Paul
Metropolitan State University
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Bethel University
Winona State University
St. Cloud State University
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University, Mankato
University of St. Thomas
University of Minnesota Duluth

Minnesota State University Moorhead 57%
Concordia University, St. Paul 69%
Minnesota State University, Mankato 71%
Bethel University 72%
Winona State University 74%
University of Minnesota 75%
University of St. Thomas 77%
Hamline University 81%
University of Minnesota Duluth 81%
Metropolitan State University 82%

Bethel University 12 to 1
Hamline University 13 to 1
Concordia University, St. Paul 13 to 1
University of St. Thomas 13 to 1
Metropolitan State University 14 to 1
University of Minnesota Duluth 16 to 1
University of Minnesota 16 to 1
Winona State University 16 to 1
St. Cloud State University 16 to 1
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota 17 to 1

Minnesota State University, Mankato $8,356
Winona State University $8,388
St. Cloud State University $8,811
Minnesota State University Moorhead $8,838
Metropolitan State University $9,684
University of Minnesota Duluth $12,638
University of Minnesota $14,006
Concordia University, St. Paul $24,400
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota $41,150
Bethel University $41,270

Winona State University $8,320
Concordia University, St. Paul $8,550
Minnesota State University, Mankato $8,836
St. Cloud State University $9,127
Metropolitan State University $9,828
Minnesota State University Moorhead $10,292
Hamline University $10,321
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota $11,835
Bethel University $11,981
University of Minnesota Duluth $18,468

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Minnesota

One of largest public higher education institutes in the country, the University of Minnesota has main campuses in both of the Twin Cities, Saint Paul and Minneapolis. This school costs about $15,000 in tuition, and provides its students with competitive programs in fields like nursing, education, economics, and psychology. And the options don’t stop there. There are more than 20 schools in the state with religious affiliations, including larger schools like the University of St. Thomas, which campuses in both Twin Cities, and smaller schools like Oak Hills Christian College in Bemidji.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

For students striving to keep costs low in a smaller school environment, Southwest Minnesota State University offers tuition below the national average and serves about 3,500 students. Additionally, those on track to become a teacher or health care provider may be eligible for one of Minnesota’s loan forgiveness programs after graduation. Minnesota also boasts a large network of private colleges, two of which, Walden University and Capella University, primarily cater to online students.

Ever heard the phrase, There’s an app for that? Well, in Minnesota they say something similar, There’s a festival for that. This fun state doesn’t hold back when it comes to celebrating. With events like the Grumpy Old Men Festival, World Festival, and the Perham Turtle Fest, students earning their degrees at one of Minnesota’s more than 70 colleges won’t miss out on a good time.

Discover some of Minnesota’s top programs and learn how you can earn your associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree while cashing in on some of this state’s unique experiences.

What are Minnesota’s Colleges & Universities?

Minnesota’s Best Overall

How do we determine Minnesota's best grad schools?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

There are 14 doctorate-granting graduate schools in Minnesota. Our ranking of the best graduate schools in the Minnesota is composed of both private and public schools. To be included, schools must be fully accredited non-profit institutions, and must offer doctoral degrees and a broad array of graduate degrees.

Best Grad Schools in Minnesota 2024

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Minnesota’s Best Grad School for Your Area of Interest

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

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Best Grad Schools in Minnesota 2024

Best Grad Schools in Minnesota

Colleges and Universities in Minnesota

What are Minnesota’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Grad Schools in Minnesota 2024

Career Outlook for degree at University of Minnesota

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Minnesota Duluth

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of St. Thomas

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Hamline University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Minnesota State University Moorhead

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at St. Cloud State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Winona State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Metropolitan State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Bethel University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Concordia University, St. Paul

Minnesota’s Best Grad School for Your Area of Interest

Resources for Prospective Grad Students