There are lots of options to choose from today when trying to decide which school to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges in Minnesota ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
After analyzing 31 schools in Minnesota, we came up with our list of those that offered the best associate degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
Higher Than Average Earnings
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. Recent students who earned a associate degree in Minnesota entered the job market making an average of $46,884 while those in the top 24 schools on our list made an average of $48,408.
Starting Salary ( 39042 to 56864 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that students take on while they are working on their associate degree.
When attending a school in Minnesota, associate degree students accumulate an average of $12,401 in student debt before graduation.
The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
More Ranking Factors That Are Important
Our Best Associate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best associate degree schools nearest you. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
Our 2025 rankings named Rasmussen University - Minnesota the best school in Minnesota in terms of overall quality for students working on their associate degree. Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a medium-sized private for-profit school located in St. Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 1,328 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $52,986 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $8,532 in student loans.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St Catherine University. The school came in at #2 in Minnesota on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 245 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from St. Kate’s is $44,592 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $18,482.
A rank of #3 on our Best Associate Degree in Minnesota list means Hennepin Technical College is a great place for students working on their degree. Hennepin Technical College is a public institution located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 533 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Hennepin Technical College is $53,155 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Central Lakes College - Brainerd. The school came in at #4 in Minnesota on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Brainerd, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 503 students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Central Lakes College go into careers with an average salary of $38,088 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Century College. It ranked #5 on our 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Century College is a public institution located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,188 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $48,331 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $11,500 in student loans.
Normandale Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #6. Normandale Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Bloomington, Minnesota. It awarded 1,371 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Normandale Community College go into careers with an average salary of $40,669 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $11,171 in student loans.
Rochester Community and Technical College landed the #7 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Rochester Community and Technical College is a public institution located in Rochester, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 690 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Rochester Community and Technical College make an average of $52,750 a year.
Dunwoody College of Technology landed the #8 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Dunwoody College of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 316 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Dunwoody College of Technology is $53,472 during the early years of their career.
Dakota County Technical College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. DCTC is located in Rosemount, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 420 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a associate degree from DCTC make an average of $51,604 per year during the early years of their career.
St Cloud Technical and Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 735 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from St Cloud Technical and Community College go into careers with an average salary of $43,401 during the early years of their career.
Minneapolis Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #11. Minneapolis Community and Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 954 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Minneapolis Community and Technical College make an average of $40,556 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $10,000 in student loans.
Northland Community and Technical College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Located in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 385 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Northland Community and Technical College make an average of $49,336 a year.
Ridgewater College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Ridgewater College is a small public school situated in Willmar, Minnesota. It awarded 548 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $44,346 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #14, Anoka-Ramsey Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is a medium-sized public school situated in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. It awarded 1,112 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is $44,403 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $11,229 after getting their degree.
Inver Hills Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #15. IHCC is a public institution located in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 487 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from IHCC is $47,950 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $12,000.
Northwest Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #16. Bemidji, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 115 students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from NTC make an average of $72,778 per year during the early years of their career.
Minnesota State Community and Technical College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. M State is located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 727 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $42,975 during the early years of their career.
Lake Superior College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. LSC is located in Duluth, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 672 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from LSC is $47,958 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $11,000 in student loans.
With a ranking of #19, North Hennepin Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. North Hennepin Community College is a public institution located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 613 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $50,206 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #20, Minnesota West Community and Technical College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Minnesota West is located in Granite Falls, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 239 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a associate degree from Minnesota West go into careers with an average salary of $51,382 during the early years of their career.
Alexandria Technical & Community College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Alexandria, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 337 students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $44,583 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #22, Anoka Technical College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Anoka Technical College is a small public school located in Anoka, Minnesota that handed out 187 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Anoka Technical College go into careers with an average salary of $44,680 during the early years of their career.
Saint Paul College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the medium-sized public school awarded 560 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Saint Paul College go into careers with an average salary of $31,413 during the early years of their career.
Minnesota State College Southeast ranked #24 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. MSC Southeast is a public institution located in Winona, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 173 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from MSC Southeast go into careers with an average salary of $70,177 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #25, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 111 students in 2021-2022.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
