Minnesota

Average student debt in Minnesota — 21 colleges, and what their graduates earn

Every Minnesota university with published federal figures, ordered by how fast the debt clears. The typical graded US university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt.

#UniversityGradeYou borrowMonthlyYou earnDebt clears in
1 Carleton College Minnesota A $16,750 $190 $75,525 0.5 yrs
2 Metropolitan State University Minnesota B $17,100 $194 $64,705 0.7 yrs
3 Macalester College Minnesota B $23,000 $262 $63,878 0.9 yrs
4 University of Minnesota - Duluth Minnesota B $22,024 $250 $62,616 1 yrs
5 Gustavus Adolphus College Minnesota C $26,774 $304 $65,607 1 yrs
6 Hamline University Minnesota C $23,770 $270 $61,106 1.1 yrs
7 University of Minnesota - Crookston Minnesota C $20,500 $233 $58,056 1.1 yrs
8 College of Saint Benedict Minnesota C $26,944 $306 $63,260 1.1 yrs
9 Winona State University Minnesota C $21,500 $244 $58,532 1.1 yrs
10 Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Minnesota C $21,500 $244 $58,170 1.2 yrs
11 Minnesota State University, Mankato Minnesota C $21,106 $240 $56,922 1.2 yrs
12 Saint Cloud State University Minnesota C $21,058 $239 $55,813 1.3 yrs
13 Augsburg University Minnesota C $25,347 $288 $58,829 1.3 yrs
14 Concordia College - Moorhead Minnesota C $26,847 $305 $59,317 1.4 yrs
15 Bemidji State University Minnesota C $19,750 $225 $53,755 1.4 yrs
16 University of Minnesota - Morris Minnesota C $18,995 $216 $50,919 1.7 yrs
17 Southwest Minnesota State University Minnesota D $20,500 $233 $51,342 1.7 yrs
18 Minnesota State University Moorhead Minnesota D $20,000 $227 $50,527 1.8 yrs
19 Lake Superior College Minnesota D $12,775 $145 $46,449 1.8 yrs
20 Capella University Minnesota F $14,968 $170 $42,189 5.6 yrs
21 Walden University Minnesota F $20,834 $237 $42,810 6.3 yrs

In-state tuition is the lever that moves this most

The debt column is shaped far more by residency and institutional aid than by anything else. If you are applying from another state or another country, the figures here understate what you would borrow — check the university's own net price for your situation.

Read the salary next to the debt, never alone

Two universities in this state with identical graduate salaries can be two grades apart, because one leaves students owing twice as much. The payback column is the one that combines both.

Questions

Which university in Minnesota pays back fastest?
Carleton College — $75,525 median earnings against $16,750 of debt, clearing in about 0.5 years.
How much do US students typically borrow?
Across the 810 universities we grade, median debt at graduation is $22,500 — about $256 a month on the standard ten-year federal plan.
Can scholarships change these numbers?
Directly. Every award comes off the borrowing before you ever repay it, which shortens the payback on each university page. Each page lists the scholarships we hold for that institution.
All payback rankings Fastest payback Lowest debt Highest earnings Scholarships that cut the debt How we calculate this

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject at each institution. Information only, not financial advice.