There are nearly 200 post-secondary institutions in the U.S. state of Minnesota.[1] The Twin Cities campus of the public University of Minnesota is the largest university in the state with 54,890 enrolled at the start of the 2023–24 academic year, making it the ninth-largest American campus by enrollment size.[2] The University of Minnesota system has four other campuses in Crookston, Duluth, Morris, and Rochester.[3] The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system comprises 37 public universities and on 54 campuses.[4] Minnesota State University, referred to as the flagship of the Minnesota State system, is the second-largest university in the state.
The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul is Minnesota's largest private university or college[5] with a fall 2010 enrollment of 10,815 students.[6] Center City–based Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies is the state's smallest postsecondary institution, while Century College in White Bear Lake is Minnesota's largest community and technical college.[7]
The majority of Minnesota's post-secondary institutions are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC),[8] but 22 have received accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).[9] Most are accredited by multiple agencies, such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the National League for Nursing (NLNAC), and the American Psychological Association (APA).
While the University of Minnesota was chartered by the state in 1851, it did not operate as a place of higher education for nearly two decades. St. Paul–based Hamline University is considered the state's oldest private college or university, being founded in 1854 as a Methodist coeducational institution. Mayo Medical School, the University of Minnesota, and University of Minnesota Duluth feature the only medical schools in the state.[10] Mitchell Hamline School of Law, the University of Minnesota Law School, and the University of St. Thomas School of Law are American Bar Association-accredited law schools.[11]
Institution | Location(s) | Control | Type | Enrollment[12] (fall 2023) | Founded | Accreditation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alexandria Technical and Community College | Alexandria | Public | Associate's college | 2,865 | 1961[13] | HLC |
Anoka Technical College | Anoka | Public | Associate's college | 1,580 | 1967[14] | AOTA, NLNAC |
Anoka-Ramsey Community College | Coon Rapids, Cambridge | Public | Associate's college | 7,902 | 1965[15] | HLC |
Bemidji State University | Bemidji | Public | Master's university | 4,023 | 1919 | HLC, CCNE, NASM |
Central Lakes College | Brainerd, Staples | Public | Associate's college | 4,633 | 1938[16] | HLC, ADA |
Century College | White Bear Lake | Public | Associate's college | 7,646 | 1967[17] | HLC, ADA, JRCERT |
Dakota County Technical College | Rosemount | Public | Associate's college | 2,717 | 1970[18] | HLC, ADA |
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College | Cloquet | Public | Tribal college | 1,648 | 1987[19] | The Higher Learning Commission, HLC |
Hennepin Technical College | Brooklyn Park, Eden Prairie | Public | Associate's college | 3,974 | 1972[20] | HLC |
Minnesota North College | Hibbing, Itasca, Eveleth, Mesabi, Vermilion, Rainy River | Public | Associate's college | 3,044 | 1916[21] | HLC, ADA |
Inver Hills Community College | Inver Grove Heights | Public | Associate's college | 3,459 | 1970[22] | HLC, NLNAC |
Lake Superior College | Duluth | Public | Associate's college | 3,849 | 1995[23] | HLC, ADA, APTA, JRCERT |
Leech Lake Tribal College | Cass Lake | Public | Tribal college | 172 | 1990[24] | None |
Metropolitan State University | St. Paul, Minneapolis | Public | Master's university | 6,294 | 1971 | HLC, CCNE |
Minneapolis Community and Technical College | Minneapolis | Public | Associate's college | 6,030 | 1996[25] | HLC, ADA, NLNAC |
Minnesota State College Southeast | Winona, Red Wing | Public | Associate's college | 1,923 | 1949[26] | HLC |
Minnesota State Community and Technical College | Fergus Falls, Detroit Lakes, Moorhead, Wadena | Public | Associate's college | 5,282 | 1960 | HLC |
Minnesota State University, Mankato | Mankato | Public | Master's university | 14,590 | 1868 | HLC, ADA, ADA, ASHA, CCNE, NASAD, NASM, NCATE, NLNAC |
Minnesota State University Moorhead | Moorhead | Public | Master's university | 4,682 | 1885 | HLC, ASHA, CCNE, NASAD, NASM, NCATE |
Minnesota West Community and Technical College | Granite Falls, Canby, Jackson, Pipestone, Worthington | Public | Associate's college | 3,352 | 1967 | HLC |
Normandale Community College | Bloomington | Public | Associate's college | 9,346 | 1968[27] | HLC, ADA, ADA, NASAD, NASM, NAST, CCNE |
North Hennepin Community College | Brooklyn Park | Public | Associate's college | 4,896 | 1966 | HLC, NLNAC |
Northland Community & Technical College | Thief River Falls, East Grand Forks | Public | Associate's college | 2,495 | 1949[28] | HLC, NLNAC |
Northwest Technical College | Bemidji | Public | Associate's college | 721 | 1965[29] | HLC, ADA |
Pine Technical and Community College | Pine City | Public | Associate's college | 1,873 | 1965 | HLC |
Ridgewater College | Hutchinson, Willmar | Public | Associate's college | 2,904 | 1996[30] [31] | HLC, NLNAC |
Riverland Community College | Albert Lea, Austin, Owatonna | Public | Associate's college | 3,175 | 1940[32] | HLC, JRCERT, NLNAC |
Rochester Community and Technical College | Rochester | Public | Associate's college | 4,482 | 1915[33] | HLC, ADA, NLNAC |
St. Cloud State University | St. Cloud | Public | Master's university | 10,420 | 1869 | HLC, AAMFT, ASHA, CCNE, NASAD, NASM, NCATE |
St. Cloud Technical and Community College | St. Cloud | Public | Associate's college | 3,466 | 1948 | HLC, ADA |
Saint Paul College | St. Paul | Public | Associate's college | 5,365 | 1910[34] | HLC, NASM |
South Central College | North Mankato, Faribault | Public | Associate's college | 2,602 | 1946[35] | HLC, ADA |
Southwest Minnesota State University | Marshall | Public | Master's university | 6,930 | 1963 | HLC, NASM |
University of Minnesota Crookston | Crookston | Public | Baccalaureate college | 2,303 | 1966 | HLC |
University of Minnesota Duluth | Duluth | Public | Master's university | 9,675 | 1947 | HLC, ASHA, NASM, NCATE |
University of Minnesota Morris | Morris | Public | Baccalaureate college | 1,068 | 1960[36] | HLC, NCATE |
University of Minnesota Rochester | Rochester | Public | Associate's college | 630 | 1966[37] | AOTA |
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | Minneapolis, St. Paul | Public | Research university | 54,955 | 1851 | HLC, MEAC, ACPE, AAMFT, ABA, ABFSE, ADA, ADA, AOTA, APTA, APA, ASHA, AVMA, CAHME, CCNE, AANA, CEPH, LCME, NASD, NASM, NAST, NCATE |
White Earth Tribal and Community College | Mahnomen | Public | Tribal college | 102 | 1997[38] | HLC |
Winona State University | Winona, Rochester | Public | Master's university | 6,154 | 1858[39] | HLC, CCNE, NASM, NAST, NCATE |
Academy College | Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit | Special-focus institution | 105 | 1936[40] | ACCSC |
Adler Graduate School | Minnetonka | Private not-for-profit | Special-focus institution | 227 | 1967[41] | HLC |
Augsburg University | Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit (Lutheran) | Master's university | 3,088 | 1869[42] | CCNE, NASM, NCATE |
Bethany Global University | Bloomington | Private not-for-profit (Non-denominational Christian) | Special-focus institution | 261 | 1948[43] | ABHE |
Bethany Lutheran College | Mankato | Private not-for-profit (Lutheran) | Baccalaureate college | 830 | 1927[44] | HLC |
Bethel University | Arden Hills | Private not-for-profit (Baptist) | Master's university | 3,546 | 1871[45] | HLC, CCNE, NCATE, NLNAC |
Carleton College | Northfield | Private not-for-profit | Baccalaureate college | 2,059 | 1866[46] | HLC |
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University | St. Joseph, Collegeville | Private not-for-profit (Roman Catholic) | Baccalaureate college | 3,115 (CSB-SJU Combined) | 1857 (SJU) 1913 (CSB)[47] | HLC, ADA, CCNE, NASM, NCATE |
College of St. Scholastica | Duluth | Private not-for-profit (Roman Catholic) | Master's university | 3,207 | 1912[48] | AOTA, APTA, CCNE, NCATE |
Concordia College | Moorhead | Private not-for-profit (Lutheran) | Baccalaureate college | 1,903 | 1891[49] | HLC, ADA, CCNE, NASM |
Concordia University | St. Paul | Private not-for-profit (Lutheran) | Master's university | 5,544 | 1893[50] | HLC, NCATE |
Crown College | St. Bonifacius | Private not-for-profit (Christian and Missionary Alliance) | Baccalaureate college | 1,583 | 1916[51] | HLC, ABHE, CCNE |
Dunwoody College of Technology | Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit | Associate's college | 1,359 | 1914[52] | HLC |
Gustavus Adolphus College | St. Peter | Private not-for-profit (Lutheran) | Baccalaureate college | 2,072 | 1862[53] | HLC, CCNE, NASM, NCATE |
Hamline University | St. Paul | Private not-for-profit (Methodist) | Master's university | 2,638 | 1854[54] | HLC, ABA, NASM, NCATE |
Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies | Center City | Private not-for-profit | Special-focus institution | 147 | 1999[55] | HLC |
Luther Seminary | St. Paul | Private not-for-profit (Lutheran) | Special-focus institution | 410 | 1869[56] | ATS, HLC |
Macalester College | St. Paul | Private not-for-profit (Presbyterian) | Baccalaureate college | 2,175 | 1874[57] | HLC |
Martin Luther College | New Ulm | Private not-for-profit (Lutheran) | Baccalaureate college | 880 | 1995[58] | HLC |
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | Special-focus institution | 1,237 | 1915[59] | HLC, ADA, APTA, APA, ACPE, AANA, JRCERT, LCME |
Minneapolis College of Art and Design | Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit | Special-focus institution | 821 | 1886[60] | NASAD, HLC |
Mitchell Hamline School of Law | St. Paul | Private not-for-profit | Special-focus institution | 1,192 | 1900[61] | ABA |
North Central University | Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit (Assemblies of God) | Baccalaureate college | 992 | 1930 | HLC |
Northwestern Health Sciences University | Bloomington | Private not-for-profit | Special-focus institution | 1,031 | 1941[62] | HLC, CMTA, CCE |
Oak Hills Christian College | Bemidji | Private not-for-profit (Non-denominational Christian) | Special-focus institution | 102 | 1946 | ABHE |
St. Catherine University | St. Paul, Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit (Roman Catholic) | Master's university | 3,577 | 1905 | HLC, ADA, AOTA, APTA, MACTE, NLNAC |
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | Winona, Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit (Roman Catholic) | Master's university | 4,133 | 1912[63] | HLC, JRCERT, NASM |
St. Olaf College | Northfield | Private not-for-profit (Lutheran) | Baccalaureate college | 3,046 | 1874 | HLC, CCNE, NASD, NASM, NAST, NCATE |
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities | St. Paul | Private not-for-profit (United Church of Christ) | Special-focus institution | 224 | 1960[64] | ATS, HLC |
University of Northwestern – St. Paul | Roseville | Private not-for-profit (Non-denominational Christian) | Baccalaureate college | 3,253 | 1902 | HLC, NASM |
University of St. Thomas | St. Paul, Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit (Roman Catholic) | Doctoral/research university | 9,025 | 1885[65] | HLC, ABA, APA, CAHME, ATS, NASM |
Capella University | Minneapolis | Private for-profit | Doctoral/research university | 39,727 | 1993[66] | HLC, NCATE |
Rasmussen University | Various | Private for-profit | Associate's college | 3,058 | 1904 | HLC |
Walden University | Minneapolis | Private for-profit | Doctoral/research university | 42,313 | 1970[67] | HLC, NLNAC, CCNE |
Institution | Location(s) | Control | Founded | Closed | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albert Lea College | Albert Lea | Private (Presbyterian) | 1885 | 1973 | ||
Argosy University | Eagan | Private for-profit | 2001 | 2019 | [68] | |
College of Visual Arts | St. Paul | Private (not-for-profit) | 1924 | 2013 | [69] | |
Duluth Business University | Duluth | Private for-profit | 1891[70] | 2018 | [71] | |
Fairlakes State Junior College | Fairmont | Public | 1973 | 1975 | [72] [73] | |
Golden Valley Lutheran College | Golden Valley | Private (Lutheran) | 1919 | 1985 | [74] | |
International Center for Naturobioholistic Health and Medicine | Bemidji, Minnesota | Private for-profitaccredited ACICS | 1978 | 1984 | [75] | |
Lea College | Albert Lea | Private | 1965 | 1973 | [76] | |
Pillsbury Baptist Bible College | Owatonna | Private (Independent Baptist) | 1957 | 2008 | [77] | |
College of Saint Teresa | Winona | Private (Roman Catholic) | 1907 | 1989 | [78] | |
Southern Minnesota Normal College | Austin | Public | 1897 | 1925 | [79] | |
Minnesota Central University | Hastings | Public | 1857 | 1867 | ||
University of Minnesota Waseca | Waseca | Public | 1971 | 1992 | [80] | |
Brown College | Mendota Heights, Brooklyn Center | Private for-profit | 1946 | 2015 | ||
Crossroads College | Rochester | Private (Church of Christ) | 1913 | 2016 | [81] | |
Globe University and Minnesota School of Business | multiple | Private for-profit | 1877 | 2016 | ||
McNally Smith College of Music | St. Paul | Private for-profit | 1985 | 2017 | ||
Minneapolis Business College | Roseville | Private for-profit | 1874 | 2019 | ||
CenterPoint Massage & Shiatsu School & Clinic | St. Louis Park | Private for-profit | 2001 | 2021 | ||
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