Schools
31 MN Colleges Among Best In Country, U.S. News Says
This year, U.S. News prioritized social mobility factors, including manageable debt and post-graduate career success.
MINNESOTA — Thirty-one Minnesota colleges were ranked among the top 100 in the country, according to new 2025 Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.
The rankings evaluated 1,500 colleges and universities using more than a dozen measures of academic quality, the digital media company said in a news release. This year in its rankings, U.S. News prioritized social mobility — that is, its record in enrolling and graduating students from all backgrounds with manageable debt — and post-graduate success, including earnings.
Here are the rankings for Minnesota schools:
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National Universities:
No. 54 — University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
No. 148 — University of St. Thomas
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No. 214 — St. Catherine University
No. 220 — Bethel University
No. 259 — The College of St. Scholastica
No. 296 — Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
National Liberal Arts Colleges:
No. 8 — Carleton College
No. 26 — Macalester College
No. 50 — St. Olaf College
No. 66 — Gustavus Adolphus College
No. 71 — College of St. Benedict
No. 80 — St. John's University
No. 122 — University of Minnesota Morris
No. 126 — Concordia College-Moorhead
No. 147 — Bethany Lutheran College
Regional Universities (Midwest):
No. 16 — Hamline University
No. 20 — University of Minnesota Duluth
No. 24 — Augsburg University
No. 28 — Winona State University
No. 35 — University of Northwestern-St. Paul
No. 54 — Minnesota State University-Moorhead
No. 60 — Minnesota State University--Mankato
No. 91 — Bemidji State University
No. 96 — Concordia University-St. Paul
No. 98 — St. Cloud State University
No. 103 — Metropolitan State University
No. 109 — Southwest Minnesota State University
No. 130 — Crown College
Regional Colleges (Midwest)
No. 25 — North Central University
No. 27 — The University of Minnesota Crookston
No. 28 — Dunwoody College of Technology
Included in the 2025 report are specialized rankings such as the best value schools, most innovative colleges, top performers on social mobility and historically Black colleges and universities, as well as universities with the greatest commitment to undergraduate teaching. Other specialty rankings include programs that enhance student experiences, including first-year experiences, service learning, studying abroad and undergraduate research and creative projects.
The top national universities are:
- Princeton University in New Jersey
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Harvard University in Massachusetts
- Stanford University in California
- Yale University in Connecticut
The top national liberal arts colleges are:
- Williams College in Massachusetts
- Amherst College in Massachusetts
- Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania
- United States Naval Academy in Maryland
- Bowdoin College in Maine and Pomona College in California (tie)
Editor's note: A previous version of this article omitted the "Regional Colleges (Midwest)" list.
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