Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges 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.
Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.
Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.
This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 19 private universities in Minnesota. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in Minnesota, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
21%
Graduation
94%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1450/32
Carleton College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
93%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/31
Macalester College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$48K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
80%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1255/26
University of St. Thomas ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
65%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1130/22
Hamline University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
51%
Graduation
85%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1310/29
St. Olaf College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
78%
Student body
2K
Gustavus Adolphus College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$28K
Acceptance
58%
Graduation
68%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1149/24
Concordia College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
59%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/20
Augsburg University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
85%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1147/25
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
64%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1175/24
St. Catherine University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$39K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
62%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1113/23
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
74%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1160/24
Bethel University ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$39K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
69%
Student body
4K
College of St. Scholastica’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
69%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1220/24
University of Northwestern – St. Paul’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$27K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
53%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1077/21
North Central University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
62%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/23
Bethany Lutheran College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$24K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
49%
Student body
1K
Dunwoody College of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$24K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
48%
Student body
4K
Concordia University, St. Paul’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$28K
Acceptance
47%
Graduation
60%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1090/20
Crown College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utiulized 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.
