MN Has 2 Of The 20 Most Expensive Colleges In U.S., Analysis Says

ST. PAUL, MN — Two colleges in Minnesota are among the 20 most expensive higher education institutions in the country, according to a new analysis.

The analysis by The College Investor, an independent financial media outlet, is based on the institutions’ published tuition and fees for the 2024-25 school year.

The most expensive school in Minnesota is Carleton College — located in Northfield — with a published annual tuition rate of $68,457 per year.

Meanwhile, St. Paul’s Macalester College costs $67,874.

Carleton is no. 11 on the list and Macalester is number 16.

College in general is expensive, but the 30 on the list are especially so. On average, annual tuition at a private school is about $41,450, but the 30 on the list cost about $65,000 a year, The College Investor said.

Most of these colleges offer generous financial aid packages, which may come in the form of scholarships, both need- and merit-based; grants, work-study programs; fellowships and student loans, the site said.

For comparison, in-state tuition at the University of Minnesota is around $30,000 per year before aid and $17,000 per year after aid.