by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which grad school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Top Minnesota Colleges for a Master's ranking - to help you make that decision.
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After analyzing 19 grad schools in Minnesota, we came up with our list of those that offered the best master's degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best grad schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving a master's degree from the school. While master's degree recipients from schools in Minnesota earn an average starting salary of $57,734, those from the top 19 school on this list made an average of $60,402.
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that graduate students take on while pursuing their master's degree. We consider this number in conjunction with average post-graduation earnings to gauge the difficulty master's recipients will have paying back their loans.
We also analyze a number of other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt when coming up with our yearly Best Master's Degree Schools ranking. 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.
We go into more detail on these factors on our graduate school ranking methodology page.
Thinking about continuing your education further? Check out our Best Doctorate Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities tops this year’s ranking as the best grad school for master’s degrees in Minnesota for overall quality. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 2,946 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from UMN Twin Cities make an average of $64,362 a year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of St Thomas Minnesota. The school came in at #2 in Minnesota on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. UST MN is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 980 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $68,893 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 19 master’s degree schools in Minnesota that were part of this year’s ranking, Capella University landed the #3 spot on the list. Capella University is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6,772 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Capella University make an average of $55,786 a year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hamline University. The school came in at #4 in Minnesota on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 394 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Hamline make an average of $54,159 a year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bethel University Minnesota. The school came in at #5 in Minnesota on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 342 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Bethel University Minnesota is $60,640 during the early years of their career.
The College of Saint Scholastica did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #6. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 308 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from St. Scholastica make an average of $55,353 a year.
Winona State University landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Winona State is a medium-sized public school situated in Winona, Minnesota. It awarded 146 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Winona State make an average of $98,750 a year.
Augsburg University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 296 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Augsburg make an average of $71,211 per year during the early years of their career.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. SMU MN is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Winona, Minnesota. It awarded 1,275 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from SMU MN is $65,185 during the early years of their career.
Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, the fairly large public school awarded 588 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Minnesota State Mankato is $51,608 during the early years of their career.
Saint Cloud State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large public school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 515 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from St. Cloud State University make an average of $51,791 a year.
Minnesota State University - Moorhead came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Located in Moorhead, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 278 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $48,452 during the early years of their career.
University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 230 students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from UMN Duluth is $57,313 during the early years of their career.
St Catherine University landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. St. Kate’s is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 403 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from St. Kate’s go into careers with an average salary of $63,695 during the early years of their career.
University of Northwestern - St Paul did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #15. Northwestern is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 52 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Northwestern make an average of $61,526 per year during the early years of their career.
Concordia University, Saint Paul ranked #16 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota list. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 763 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Concordia University, Saint Paul make an average of $56,717 a year.
Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #17. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized public school located in Marshall, Minnesota that handed out 169 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Southwest Minnesota State University make an average of $49,635 a year.
Metropolitan State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking, coming in at #18. Metro State is a public institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 190 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Metro State make an average of $59,072 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #19, Bemidji State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Bemidji State University is a public institution located in Bemidji, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 99 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Bemidji State University go into careers with an average salary of $53,489 during the early years of their career.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.