Best Colleges in Minnesota

A private Christian college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Concordia College offers liberal arts education to a student body of approximately 2,300 individuals. The school offers more than 50 undergraduate majors in the arts and sciences, including agribusiness, art and design, web design and development, and women's and gender studies. Concordia also offers a small selection of graduate degrees and post-baccalaureate programs, including nutrition, world language instruction, pre-medicine, and nursing.

Concordia centers Christian education in a global context, and all undergraduates complete required courses in culture, religion, and communications. The school's global focus translates to a wide selection of study abroad opportunities in countries such as Greece, Spain, and South Africa. Students have many other opportunities for experiential learning, including research and professional internships. Students commonly assist faculty with research and other types of scholarship, sometimes receiving co-author credit for publications.

A Baptist-affiliated liberal arts school located in Arden Hills, Bethel University serves around 6,500 students annually through undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs. Students can pursue bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in numerous fields, including biblical studies, English and journalism, applied health science, music and theater, and social work. Bethel frames its educational philosophy and campus policies with a strong Christian perspective, and all students must sign a community covenant.

Bethel arranges its undergraduate curriculum around the REAL Experience, which represents relevant, experiential, applied learning. Preparing students to apply their learning to future careers, graduate study, and informed citizenship, the REAL Experience encompasses widely applicable, relevant training in skills such as communication, creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, and technological literacy. Students also gain a strong, experience-based perspective through activities such as internships, study abroad, and faculty-led research.

A Roman Catholic liberal arts school based in the Twin Cities, the University of St. Thomas serves more than 10,000 students annually, making it the largest private school in Minnesota. Named for philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas, the university embodies values of both faith and reason, stressing academic excellence and inquiry in a Christian moral framework. UST offers programs at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels in fields including arts and sciences, business, education, social work, and law.

UST hosts a variety of continuing, professional, and online education programs that serve the needs of working adults. Distance learners can select from several fully online and blended degrees and certificates, available primarily at the graduate level. The school offers a variety of business master's degrees, along with select programs in social work, education, and Catholic studies. Working professionals can also pursue several noncredit professional development courses, such as cultural competency for educators.

Based in the northwestern portion of the state, Minnesota State University Moorhead enrolls around 5,800 students annually. A prominent regional university, MSU Moorhead offers nearly 250 academic programs, including undergraduate majors, graduate degrees, and professional certificates. Some of the school's most popular undergraduate programs include elementary inclusive education, biology, social work, and nursing.

As a mid-sized member of the Minnesota State University System, MSU Moorhead combines the resources of a major state school with the intimacy of a smaller private college. Service learning plays a large role in many of the school's academic programs, with experiences often integrated directly into curriculum requirements. Students can also participate in research activities through the school's campus centers, such as the Marcil Center for Innovative Journalism and the Center for Geospatial Studies.

Based in the suburb of Roseville, the University of Northwestern St. Paul provides Christian-centered education to about 2,000 students annually. UNW offers programs at the bachelor's and master's levels, including more than 120 undergraduate majors and minors, such as children and family ministry, media production, marketing, and philosophy. The school offers a smaller selection of graduate degrees and certificates in fields including divinity, education, human services, ministry leadership, and theological studies.

UNW maintains no specific denominational affiliation, and the school enrolls students of all Christian backgrounds. However, all students must abide by a strict covenant that dictates campus standards. The school maintains an active, Christian-centered community that includes mandatory weekly chapel services for undergraduates. Students can also participate in a variety of community and experiential learning activities -- both on and off campus -- including internships, service learning and volunteer work, and study abroad programs.

Founded in 1854, Hamline University ranks as the oldest higher learning institution in Minnesota. Today, this private college serves around 3,800 students from its campus in Saint Paul, offering liberal arts education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. HU maintains four academic schools and colleges: liberal arts, business, education, and law. Students can also pursue two online bachelor's completion programs in business and psychology, enabling distance learners to complete upper-division credits fully online.

HU holds a reputation for service learning and social justice, and students have many opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. Undergraduate and graduate students can participate in the school's study abroad programs, which last anywhere from a week to an entire year. Most study abroad programs include credit-based internships or volunteer opportunities, enabling students to build professional experience while also broadening their cultural perspectives in countries such as Jordan, Greece, New Zealand, and Spain.

Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Bethany Lutheran College serves a small student body of about 750 learners from its campus in Mankato. Offering undergraduate education exclusively, BLC emphasizes the liberal arts from a Christian perspective, with 27 majors available, including American studies, exercise science, legal studies, media arts, and special education. Students can also pursue seven pre-professional programs that prepare graduates for advanced study in fields such as law, medicine, dentistry, seminary, and pharmacy.

BLC offers comprehensive support to all of its students, including academic advising and student mentoring. The school pairs each student with a faculty advisor, who assists with course selections and degree planning. Students also receive support within their own major from experienced faculty members. BLC offers free academic tutoring in math and writing through its academic resource center, and academic coordinators can also connect students to subject-specific tutors.

A private college based in Duluth, The College of St. Scholastica also maintains education sites in Brainerd, Rochester, St. Cloud, and St. Paul. Serving around 4,000 students annually, CSS offers undergraduate and graduate programs through six schools and colleges, including arts and letters, business and technology, education, health sciences, nursing, and sciences. The school's smaller size provides learners with a highly personal, student-focused experience. CSS boasts a student-to-faculty ratio of 14-to-1.

CSS emphasizes educational accessibility, with several satellite campuses and a large distance education program. Students can pursue online degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, with options including nursing, applied data analytics, physical therapy, education, and a unique MBA program in rural healthcare. Designed with working students in mind, the school's distance programs typically offer accelerated courses in an eight-week format, with a fully online delivery mode that includes no campus visits.

A private college affiliated with the evangelical Protestant Christian and Missionary Alliance, Crown College serves about 1,300 students from its campus in St. Bonifacius, which is located about 30 miles west of the Twin Cities. At the undergraduate level, the school offers more than 40 associate and bachelor's degrees in fields including biblical studies, business and sport management, humanities and social sciences, nursing, and teacher education. Crown frames all majors in a Christian context, and all students complete required Bible study courses.

Crown offers several online programs -- at the undergraduate and graduate levels -- with a flexible, mainly asynchronous format geared toward working adults. All of the college's graduate programs are delivered entirely online, and students can pursue degrees such as Christian studies, alcohol and drug counseling, business administration, and ministry leadership. Crown also offers a small selection of online graduate certificates in areas including disaster and emergency management, community development, and urban ministry.

A Roman Catholic university affiliated with the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota enrolls around 5,900 students annually. The school operates a main campus in Winona, which primarily serves undergraduates, along with professional and graduate campuses in Rochester and the Twin Cities. Saint Mary's academic programs encompass most major academic and professional fields, including art and design, criminal justice, human services, political science, and theology.

Saint Mary's offers undergraduates a blend of professional and academic preparation through its cooperative education program. Along with a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum, the co-op program gives students the opportunity to complete a significant internship during their junior or senior year. The school maintains co-op partnerships with many businesses and other organizations throughout Minnesota, enabling students to intern in fields such as finance, manufacturing, and social services.

A major public university based in the Twin Cities, Metropolitan State University enrolls more than 11,000 students annually. The school focuses primarily on education for working professionals and other nontraditional students, emphasizing affordability, accessibility, and flexibility. Metropolitan State offers degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels in fields including business, healthcare, arts and communication, human services, and public administration. Students can also design their own major based on their professional goals.

Given its focus on accessible education, Metropolitan State provides comprehensive support for new and returning students, including extensive enrollment counseling and transfer services. Academic advisors assist students with course selections and strategies for transitioning to higher education, while the school's career center offers coaching, resume building, internship help, and networking opportunities. Students receive free tutoring and library services, and the school also hosts many workshops focused on academic success and study tips.

A private liberal arts college affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Concordia University St. Paul serves around 5,000 students annually. The school offers more than 100 academic programs, including 76 undergraduate majors and 25 graduate degrees. CSP also ranks among the top providers of distance education in Minnesota, and the school hosts nearly 50 fully online programs, including early childhood education, family science, exercise science, business administration, and web design and development.

CSP ranks among the most affordable private schools in Minnesota, and the university offers a variety of scholarships. Incoming first-year and transfer students are eligible for automatic scholarships awarded based on GPA, and CSP offers special scholarships for applicants who are employed in church professions. The school also maintains a Partnership Advantage program, which offers reduced tuition and priority admission to employees of several local and national companies, such as 3M, AT&T, and Target.

Based in Minneapolis, Augsburg University serves around 3,500 students annually, offering Christian-centered liberal arts education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Augsburg maintains a progressive reputation, frequently ranking among the country's top schools for public service and support of LGBTQ+ students. Undergraduates choose from 50 majors in fields including American Indian studies, film and new media, political science, psychology, and urban studies.

Known for its focus on experiential learning, Augsburg requires all undergraduates to complete at least one "Augsburg Experience" -- a first-hand learning activity outside of the classroom, such as an internship, study abroad program, field experience, or service-learning project. These experiences build professional skills and cultural competence, offering insights into the connection between academic theory and real-world practice. While travel is often necessary, students can also complete many experiences close to campus.

A mid-sized public university and a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, Bemidji State University enrolls around 5,400 students annually. The school primarily serves undergraduates and offers 65 majors, including applied public policy, creative and professional writing, earth science, music education, and wildlife biology. BMU also hosts a small selection of graduate programs, including three fully online tracks in business administration, education and online instruction, and special education.

BMU sits adjacent to several Indian reservations, including Red Lake, White Earth, and Leech Lake. Accordingly, BSU offers several undergraduate programs that reflect the region's Native heritage, including indigenous studies, indigenous nations marketing, and indigenous sustainability studies. The school also boasts the country's first collegiate-level Ojibwe language program, which was established in 1969. Focusing on Ojibwe culture, language, oral literature, and educational instruction, the program confers either an undergraduate minor or certificate.

Based in Marshall, the public Southwest Minnesota State University enrolls about 6,800 students annually, offering liberal arts and professional education primarily at the undergraduate level. The school offers dozens of bachelor's and associate degrees in the arts, sciences, and professional studies, including early childhood education, agriculture studies, indigenous nations and Dakota studies, public administration, and political science. SMSU also hosts multiple graduate programs in business administration and education.

Students at all levels receive support from SMSU's student success and advising center, which offers academic counseling, degree planning, career connections, tutoring, and a variety of other services. Academic advisors support new students in their transition to college and assist with course and major selections. The school's advising center also hosts the Blue to Brown Connection Program, which supports transfer students from Minnesota West Community and Technical College on their path to a four-year degree.