2026 Best Graduate Degrees Schools in Minnesota
Looking for the best Graduate Degrees degree programs in Minnesota? We have ranked 95 institutions by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. The rankings below weigh factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and admissions selectivity.
To arm you with the information you need, Grad Degree evaluated 76 schools to build this 2026 ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Graduate Degrees Degree Schools in Minnesota
Here are the top-ranked schools:
University Of St Thomas Minnesota tops our 2026 ranking of the best Graduate Degrees degree schools in Minnesota. Located in Saint Paul, MN, University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 77%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $54,398. Graduates carry a median of $23,923 in student loans. Read more about University Of St Thomas Minnesota
You'll be in good company at Winona State University, which ranked #2 this year. This public school is set in Winona, MN. The six-year graduation rate is 56%. Students from in state pay about $10,576 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,308. Winona State University Graduate Degrees students take on a median of $24,551 in debt. Get the full Winona State University report
Out of the 76 schools in Minnesota in this year's ranking, Minnesota State University Mankato landed the #3 spot. Located in Mankato, MN, Minnesota State University Mankato is a public institution. Minnesota State University Mankato posts a six-year graduation rate of 54%. In-state tuition and fees average $9,572, compared with $18,942 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $25,260 in student loans. Get the full Minnesota State University Mankato report
Bethel University Minnesota came in at #4 on this year's Graduate Degrees ranking in Minnesota. Based in Saint Paul, MN, Bethel University Minnesota is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 71%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $44,226. The median Graduate Degrees program debt is $25,639. Get the full Bethel University Minnesota report
The strong Graduate Degrees programs at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earned it the #5 place in Minnesota. Located in Minneapolis, MN, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a public institution. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities graduates 85% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $17,214 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Students borrow a median of $21,577 to complete their Graduate Degrees program here. Read the full report on University Of Minnesota Twin Cities
The College Of Saint Scholastica came in at #6 in this year's ranking. The College Of Saint Scholastica is a private not-for-profit school based in Duluth, MN. The six-year graduation rate is 70%. Students from in state pay about $41,778 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,755 to complete their Graduate Degrees program here. Get the full The College Of Saint Scholastica report
Augsburg College landed the #7 spot in Minnesota this year. Located in Minneapolis, MN, Augsburg College is a private not-for-profit institution. Augsburg College posts a six-year graduation rate of 52%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,452. Typical Graduate Degrees student debt is $26,319. Get the full Augsburg College report
Hamline University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Hamline University is a private not-for-profit school based in Saint Paul, MN. Roughly 60% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $50,004. The median Graduate Degrees program debt is $25,530. Read the full report on Hamline University
St Catherine University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Based in Saint Paul, MN, St Catherine University is a private not-for-profit institution. St Catherine University posts a six-year graduation rate of 61%. In-state tuition and fees average $38,428. St Catherine University Graduate Degrees students take on a median of $29,883 in debt. Read the full report on St Catherine University
Saint Marys University Of Minnesota ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. This private not-for-profit school is set in Winona, MN. Saint Marys University Of Minnesota posts a six-year graduation rate of 66%. Students from in state pay about $45,080 in tuition and fees. Saint Marys University Of Minnesota Graduate Degrees students take on a median of $27,081 in debt. See the full Saint Marys University Of Minnesota profile
Minnesota State University Moorhead ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. Minnesota State University Moorhead is a public school based in Moorhead, MN. About 57% of students finish within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,428. Minnesota State University Moorhead Graduate Degrees students take on a median of $24,447 in debt. Get the full Minnesota State University Moorhead report
Saint Cloud State University landed the #12 spot in Minnesota this year. This public school is set in Saint Cloud, MN. About 39% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $10,245 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,076 to complete their Graduate Degrees program here. Read the full report on Saint Cloud State University
University Of Minnesota Duluth did well this year, earning the #13 position. Located in Duluth, MN, University Of Minnesota Duluth is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 65%. In-state tuition and fees average $14,608, compared with $20,134 for out-of-state students. The median Graduate Degrees program debt is $24,624. Read the full report on University Of Minnesota Duluth
Bemidji State University placed #14 among Graduate Degrees schools in Minnesota. This public school is set in Bemidji, MN. The six-year graduation rate is 46%. In-state tuition and fees run about $10,237. The median Graduate Degrees program debt is $25,819. Read the full report on Bemidji State University
Concordia University Saint Paul ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. Set in Saint Paul, MN, Concordia University Saint Paul is a private not-for-profit institution. Concordia University Saint Paul graduates 45% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $25,600 in tuition and fees. The median Graduate Degrees program debt is $29,026. More on Concordia University Saint Paul
Walden University did well this year, earning the #16 position. Walden University is a private for-profit school based in Minneapolis, MN. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,067. Walden University Graduate Degrees students take on a median of $49,361 in debt. More on Walden University
Metropolitan State University ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. Located in Saint Paul, MN, Metropolitan State University is a public institution. Roughly 44% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,840. Metropolitan State University Graduate Degrees students take on a median of $30,822 in debt. Read the full report on Metropolitan State University
Capella University did well this year, earning the #18 position. Set in Minneapolis, MN, Capella University is a private for-profit institution. Roughly 20% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $14,400 in tuition and fees. Graduates carry a median of $35,998 in student loans. More on Capella University
Minnesota State College Southeast Technical did well this year, earning the #19 position. Read more about Minnesota State College Southeast Technical
South Central College ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. Read the full report on South Central College
University Of Minnesota Crookston placed #21 among Graduate Degrees schools in Minnesota. Read the full report on University Of Minnesota Crookston
White Earth Tribal And Community College ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. Read the full report on White Earth Tribal And Community College
Bethlehem College And Seminary did well this year, earning the #23 position. Read the full report on Bethlehem College And Seminary
Fond Du Lac Tribal And Community College did well this year, earning the #24 position. See the full Fond Du Lac Tribal And Community College profile
Red Lake Nation College came in at #25 in this year's ranking. Read more about Red Lake Nation College
Rest of the Top 50 Best Graduate Degrees Degree Schools in Minnesota
Not far behind, these schools also made the top of the list:
Minneapolis Community And Technical College did well this year, earning the #26 position. Read the full report on Minneapolis Community And Technical College
William Mitchell College Of Law did well this year, earning the #27 position. Get the full William Mitchell College Of Law report
Anoka Ramsey Community College ranked #28 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. Read more about Anoka Ramsey Community College
North Hennepin Community College landed the #29 spot in Minnesota this year. See the full North Hennepin Community College profile
American Academy Of Acupuncture And Oriental Medicine did well this year, earning the #30 position. Get the full American Academy Of Acupuncture And Oriental Medicine report
Lake Superior College did well this year, earning the #31 position. Get the full Lake Superior College report
Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College ranked #32 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. See the full Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College profile
Normandale Community College did well this year, earning the #33 position. Read more about Normandale Community College
Crown College
Crown College ranked #34 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. Get the full Crown College report
Northland Community And Technical College did well this year, earning the #35 position. See the full Northland Community And Technical College profile
Leech Lake Tribal College ranked #36 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. Get the full Leech Lake Tribal College report
Saint Johns University placed #37 among Graduate Degrees schools in Minnesota. Read more about Saint Johns University
Anoka Technical College did well this year, earning the #38 position. See the full Anoka Technical College profile
Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary landed the #39 spot in Minnesota this year. Read more about Luther Seminary
St Cloud Technical And Community College came in at #40 in this year's ranking. More on St Cloud Technical And Community College
Southwest Minnesota State University did well this year, earning the #41 position. Read the full report on Southwest Minnesota State University
Bethany Lutheran College did well this year, earning the #42 position. Get the full Bethany Lutheran College report
Oak Hills Christian College came in at #43 in this year's ranking. See the full Oak Hills Christian College profile
Bethany Global University did well this year, earning the #44 position. More on Bethany Global University
Pine Technical College landed the #45 spot in Minnesota this year. Read the full report on Pine Technical College
Inver Hills Community College did well this year, earning the #46 position. More on Inver Hills Community College
Rasmussen College Minnesota did well this year, earning the #47 position. See the full Rasmussen College Minnesota profile
Concordia College At Moorhead came in at #48 in this year's ranking. Read more about Concordia College At Moorhead
Hastings Beauty School ranked #49 on our 2026 list of the best Graduate Degrees schools. Read more about Hastings Beauty School
United Theological Seminary Of The Twin Cities landed the #50 spot in Minnesota this year. Read more about United Theological Seminary Of The Twin Cities
More Graduate Degrees Rankings
Ranking Methodology & Notes
This list is compiled by Grad Degree (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and admissions data drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: Dms College Quality · Scope: State · 76 schools evaluated. *Averages shown above reflect the top 95 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).