Best Colleges in Minnesota by Salary Potential
College is an investment — one that should pay off. Before you enroll, find out which Minnesota colleges have the highest-paid graduates.
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Early Career Pay | Mid-Career Pay | % High Meaning | % STEM Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: Carleton College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$72,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$141,500 | % High Meaning:50% | % STEM Degrees:45% |
| Rank:2 | School Name: University of St Thomas (Minnesota) | School Type:Private School, Religious, Research University | Early Career Pay:$70,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$135,200 | % High Meaning:48% | % STEM Degrees:25% |
| Rank:3 | School Name: - Collegeville, MN_50px.png) Saint Johns University | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$71,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$131,700 | % High Meaning:51% | % STEM Degrees:25% |
| Rank:4 | School Name: St Olaf College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$67,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$128,600 | % High Meaning:46% | % STEM Degrees:25% |
| Rank:5 | School Name: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | School Type:Research University, For Sports Fans, State School | Early Career Pay:$71,000 | Mid-Career Pay:$125,700 | % High Meaning:52% | % STEM Degrees:30% |
| Rank:6 | School Name: Gustavus Adolphus College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$62,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$118,900 | % High Meaning:51% | % STEM Degrees:18% |
| Rank:7 | School Name: Dunwoody College of Technology | School Type:Private School | Early Career Pay:$65,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$118,100 | % High Meaning:67% | % STEM Degrees:18% |
| Rank:8 | School Name: University of Minnesota-Duluth | School Type:State School | Early Career Pay:$65,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$117,300 | % High Meaning:53% | % STEM Degrees:34% |
| Rank:9 | School Name: Hamline University | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$60,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$115,500 | % High Meaning:52% | % STEM Degrees:7% |
| Rank:10 | School Name: Macalester College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$65,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$113,900 | % High Meaning:61% | % STEM Degrees:35% |
| Rank:11 | School Name: Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$64,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$109,000 | % High Meaning:51% | % STEM Degrees:5% |
| Rank:11 | School Name: Saint Cloud State University | School Type:State School | Early Career Pay:$64,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$109,000 | % High Meaning:53% | % STEM Degrees:20% |
| Rank:13 | School Name: Augsburg University | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$62,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$108,500 | % High Meaning:55% | % STEM Degrees:8% |
| Rank:14 | School Name: Minnesota State University-Mankato | School Type:State School | Early Career Pay:$63,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$107,900 | % High Meaning:53% | % STEM Degrees:13% |
| Rank:15 | School Name: - Saint Joseph, MN_50px.jpg) College of Saint Benedict | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$60,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$106,000 | % High Meaning:54% | % STEM Degrees:19% |
| Rank:16 | School Name: Minneapolis College of Art and Design | School Type:Art, Private School | Early Career Pay:$58,000 | Mid-Career Pay:$104,800 | % High Meaning:37% | % STEM Degrees:0% |
| Rank:17 | School Name: Concordia University-Saint Paul | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$61,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$103,400 | % High Meaning:64% | % STEM Degrees:5% |
| Rank:18 | School Name:University of Minnesota-Crookston | School Type:State School | Early Career Pay:$63,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$102,200 | % High Meaning:56% | % STEM Degrees:3% |
| Rank:19 | School Name:University of Minnesota-Morris | School Type:Liberal Arts School, State School | Early Career Pay:$56,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$102,100 | % High Meaning:47% | % STEM Degrees:35% |
| Rank:20 | School Name: Bethel University (Minnesota) | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$62,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$101,600 | % High Meaning:59% | % STEM Degrees:8% |
| Rank:20 | School Name: Winona State University | School Type:State School | Early Career Pay:$62,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$101,600 | % High Meaning:50% | % STEM Degrees:12% |
| Rank:22 | School Name: St Catherine University | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$61,000 | Mid-Career Pay:$99,900 | % High Meaning:63% | % STEM Degrees:2% |
| Rank:23 | School Name: Concordia College at Moorhead | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$57,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$97,700 | % High Meaning:62% | % STEM Degrees:21% |
| Rank:24 | School Name: Metropolitan State University | School Type:State School | Early Career Pay:$63,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$96,800 | % High Meaning:54% | % STEM Degrees:15% |
| Rank:25 | School Name: Minnesota State University Moorhead | School Type:State School | Early Career Pay:$55,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$95,900 | % High Meaning:53% | % STEM Degrees:8% |
The Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota is famous for lakes, woods, rolling pastoral scenery, Garrison Keeler and a growing tech business environment. Some of the most notable colleges in Minnesota are the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State University, and the College of Saint Benedict.
Some of the most notable colleges in Minnesota are the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State University, and the College of Saint Benedict.
The University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities is one of the best four-year colleges in Minnesota by early earning potential, as graduates from here earn a high median salary with zero to five years experience. Carleton College also ranks highly, particularly for alumni who have been in the workforce at least 10 years.
Many graduates from Minnesota’s colleges go on to work in careers in the Biosciences, Manufacturing, Data Centers, Clean and Renewable Technology, Banking and Insurance, and Health Services industries.