There are nearly 110 post-secondary institutions in the U.S. state of Minnesota. 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. The University of Minnesota system has four other campuses in Crookston, Duluth, Morris, and Rochester. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system comprises 26 colleges and 7 universities on 54 campuses. Minnesota State University in Mankato is referred to as the flagship of the Minnesota State system, and is the second-largest university in the state.
The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul is Minnesota's largest private university or college with a fall 2023 enrollment of 9,121 students. Mahnomen–based White Earth Tribal and Community College is the state's smallest postsecondary institution, while Normandale Community College in Bloomington is Minnesota's largest community and technical college.
The majority of Minnesota's post-secondary institutions are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), but 22 have received accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). 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. 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.
Extant institutions
Institution Location(s) Control Type Enrollment(fall 2024) FoundedAlexandria Technical and Community CollegeAlexandriaPublic Associate's college 3,2811961Anoka Technical CollegeAnokaPublic Associate's college1,9701967Anoka-Ramsey Community CollegeCoon Rapids, CambridgePublic Associate's college8,4861965Bemidji State UniversityBemidjiPublic Master's university4,0721919Central Lakes CollegeBrainerd, StaplesPublic Associate's college4,9811938Century CollegeWhite Bear LakePublic Associate's college8,7261967Dakota County Technical CollegeRosemountPublic Associate's college2,8941970Fond du Lac Tribal and Community CollegeCloquetPublic Tribal college1,7891987Hennepin Technical CollegeBrooklyn Park,Eden PrairiePublic Associate's college4,5721972Inver Hills Community CollegeInver Grove HeightsPublic Associate's college3,8041970Lake Superior CollegeDuluthPublic Associate's college4,0741995Leech Lake Tribal CollegeCass LakePublic Tribal college2091990Metropolitan State UniversitySt. Paul, MinneapolisPublic Master's university6,6601971Minneapolis CollegeMinneapolisPublic Associate's college6,7331996Minnesota North CollegeHibbing, Ely, Eveleth, Grand Rapids, International Falls, VirginiaPublic Associate's college3,1741916Minnesota State College SoutheastWinona, Red WingPublic Associate's college2,3311949Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeFergus Falls, Detroit Lakes, Moorhead, WadenaPublic Associate's college5,6451960Minnesota State University, MankatoMankatoPublic Master's university15,2711868Minnesota State University MoorheadMoorheadPublic Master's university4,3861885Minnesota West Community and Technical CollegeGranite Falls, Canby, Jackson, Pipestone, WorthingtonPublic Associate's college3,6951967Normandale Community CollegeBloomingtonPublic Associate's college11,0261968North Hennepin Community CollegeBrooklyn ParkPublic Associate's college5,5631966Northland Community & Technical CollegeThief River Falls,East Grand ForksPublic Associate's college2,6311949Northwest Technical CollegeBemidjiPublic Associate's college9781965Pine Technical and Community CollegePine CityPublic Associate's college1,7941965Ridgewater CollegeHutchinson, WillmarPublic Associate's college3,1481996Riverland Community CollegeAlbert Lea, Austin, OwatonnaPublic Associate's college3,9591940Rochester Community and Technical CollegeRochesterPublic Associate's college5,2051915St. Cloud State UniversitySt. CloudPublic Master's university10,7321869St. Cloud Technical and Community CollegeSt. CloudPublic Associate's college4,0301948Saint Paul CollegeSt. PaulPublic Associate's college5,1981910South Central CollegeNorth Mankato, FaribaultPublic Associate's college2,7311946Southwest Minnesota State UniversityMarshallPublic Master's university8,2141963University of Minnesota CrookstonCrookstonPublicBaccalaureate college2,6121966University of Minnesota DuluthDuluthPublic Master's university9,2531947University of Minnesota MorrisMorrisPublicBaccalaureate college9811960University of Minnesota RochesterRochesterPublic Associate's college5781966University of Minnesota, Twin CitiesMinneapolis, St. PaulPublic Research university56,6661851White Earth Tribal and Community CollegeMahnomenPublic Tribal college1191997Winona State UniversityWinona, RochesterPublic Master's university6,0451858Academy CollegeBloomingtonPrivate not-for-profitSpecial-focus institution561936Adler Graduate SchoolMinnetonkaPrivate not-for-profitSpecial-focus institution2751967Augsburg UniversityMinneapolisPrivate not-for-profit(Lutheran) Master's university3,2491869Bethany Global UniversityBloomingtonPrivate not-for-profit(non-denominational Christian)Special-focus institution1001948Bethany Lutheran CollegeMankatoPrivate not-for-profit(Lutheran)Baccalaureate college8991927Bethel UniversityArden HillsPrivate not-for-profit(Baptist) Master's university3,6031871Bethlehem College & SeminaryMinneapolisPrivate not-for-profitSpecial-focus institution2002009Carleton CollegeNorthfieldPrivate not-for-profit Baccalaureate college2,1281866College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's UniversitySt. Joseph, CollegevillePrivate not-for-profit(Roman Catholic)Baccalaureate college3,001 (CSB-SJU combined)1857 (SJU) 1913 (CSB)College of St. ScholasticaDuluthPrivate not-for-profit(Roman Catholic) Master's university2,9301912Concordia CollegeMoorheadPrivate not-for-profit(Lutheran)Baccalaureate college1,9351891Concordia UniversitySt. PaulPrivate not-for-profit(Lutheran) Master's university6,0031893Crown CollegeSt. BonifaciusPrivate not-for-profit(Christian and Missionary Alliance)Baccalaureate college1,8461916Dunwoody College of TechnologyMinneapolisPrivate not-for-profit Associate's college1,5371914Gustavus Adolphus CollegeSt. PeterPrivate not-for-profit(Lutheran)Baccalaureate college1,9061862Hamline UniversitySt. PaulPrivate not-for-profit(Methodist) Master's university2,5651854Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction StudiesCenter CityPrivate not-for-profitSpecial-focus institution1921999Luther SeminarySt. PaulPrivate not-for-profit(Lutheran)Special-focus institution3711869Macalester CollegeSt. PaulPrivate not-for-profit(Presbyterian)Baccalaureate college2,1381874Martin Luther CollegeNew UlmPrivate not-for-profit(Lutheran)Baccalaureate college8781995Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceRochesterPrivate not-for-profitSpecial-focus institution1,4391915Minneapolis College of Art and DesignMinneapolisPrivate not-for-profitSpecial-focus institution8311886Mitchell Hamline School of LawSt. PaulPrivate not-for-profitSpecial-focus institution1,1631900North Central UniversityMinneapolisPrivate not-for-profit(Assemblies of God)Baccalaureate college8521930Northwestern Health Sciences UniversityBloomingtonPrivate not-for-profitSpecial-focus institution1,1011941Oak Hills Christian CollegeBemidjiPrivate not-for-profit(non-denominational Christian)Special-focus institution951946St. Catherine UniversitySt. Paul, MinneapolisPrivate not-for-profit(Roman Catholic) Master's university3,6511905Saint Mary's University of MinnesotaWinona, MinneapolisPrivate not-for-profit(Roman Catholic) Master's university4,5051912St. Olaf CollegeNorthfieldPrivate not-for-profit(Lutheran)Baccalaureate college3,1241874United Theological Seminary of the Twin CitiesSt. PaulPrivate not-for-profit(United Church of Christ)Special-focus institution2261960University of Northwestern – St. PaulRosevillePrivate not-for-profit(non-denominational Christian)Baccalaureate college3,2341902University of St. ThomasSt. Paul, MinneapolisPrivate not-for-profit(Roman Catholic) Doctoral/research university9,4101885American Academy of Health and WellnessRosevillePrivate for-profitSpecial-focus institution291997Capella UniversityMinneapolisPrivate for-profit Doctoral/research university47,7611993Rasmussen UniversityBloomington, Brooklyn Park, Eagan, Mankato, Moorhead, St. CloudPrivate for-profit Associate's college9,4161904Walden UniversityMinneapolisPrivate for-profit Doctoral/research university49,4411970
Defunct institutions
Institution Location(s) Control Founded Closed Ref Albert Lea CollegeAlbert Lea Private (Presbyterian) 1885 1973 Argosy UniversityEagan Private for-profit 2001 2019College of Visual ArtsSt. Paul Private (not-for-profit) 1924 2013www.cva.edu Duluth Business UniversityDuluth Private for-profit 1891 2018Fairlakes State Junior CollegeFairmont Public 1973 1975 Golden Valley Lutheran College Golden Valley Private(Lutheran) 1919 1985 International Center for Naturobioholistic Health and Medicine Bemidji Private for-profit accredited ACICS 1978 1984 Lea College Albert LeaPrivate 1965 1973 Pillsbury Baptist Bible College OwatonnaPrivate (Independent Baptist) 1957 2008 College of Saint Teresa WinonaPrivate (Roman Catholic) 1907 1989 Southern Minnesota Normal College AustinPublic 1897 1925 Minnesota Central University HastingsPublic 1857 1867 University of Minnesota Waseca WasecaPublic 1971 1992Brown CollegeMendota Heights, Brooklyn CenterPrivate for-profit 1946 2015Crossroads CollegeRochesterPrivate(Church of Christ) 1913 2016Globe University and Minnesota School of BusinessmultiplePrivate for-profit 1877 2016McNally Smith College of MusicSt. PaulPrivate for-profit 1985 2017Minneapolis Business CollegeRosevillePrivate for-profit18742019CenterPoint Massage & Shiatsu School & ClinicSt. Louis ParkPrivate for-profit20012021 National for-profit institution National American University operated campuses in Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Burnsville, Rochester and Roseville that offered associate's and bachelor's degrees. National for-profit institution the University of Phoenix formerly operated a campus in St. Louis Park that offers bachelor's and master's degrees.
Out-of-state institutions National for-profit institution Herzing University operates a campus in St. Louis Park that offers associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees.
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