Higher Education in Minnesota
From urban to rural, big to small, public to private, Minnesota's colleges and universities offer you a variety of choices. Minnesota is home to more than 200 public and private postsecondary institutions that enroll 365,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year. About 8,700 international and foreign-born students enroll at Minnesota postsecondary institutions. Of these, 3,000 were enrolled in graduate school with most attending the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, the state's leading academic research institution.
Public 2-Year Colleges
Minnesota has a network of 25 public two-year state colleges, serving about 115,000 students each year.
Technical colleges offer courses and programs that teach knowledge and skills leading to specific jobs. Instructors often are former business owners or skilled practitioners with solid experience in the occupations they teach. Local employers work closely with the colleges to ensure the teaching of skills demanded in today's job market. Programs usually range in length from three months to two years.
Community colleges provide the first two years of a four-year college education. Graduates can then transfer to a four-year school to complete a bachelor’s degree. Most community colleges offer preparatory courses for those who need to brush up on basic skills and provide a chance to participate in athletics, clubs, and activities in theater, music, and the arts.
Private 2-Year Colleges
Minnesota has more than 100 private business, technical, and cosmetology schools, serving over 25,000 students each fall. These schools maintain strong relationships with local employers who look for skill-based workers. Programs generally range from a few months to two years; some offer associate degrees. Most programs offer small classes.
Public 4-Year Universities
Minnesota has 12 four-year public universities enrolling more than 129,000 students in courses and programs leading to bachelor's and advanced degrees. Programs are offered in liberal arts, sciences, and professional fields. Most offer on-campus undergraduate housing as well as a full range of athletics and intramural sports as well as programs in theater, music, and the arts.
Private 4-Year Colleges and Universities
Minnesota has about 30 four-year private colleges and universities that enroll more than 63,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year. Most are liberal arts colleges, emphasizing broad knowledge in arts, sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Most provide on-campus undergraduate housing and a wide range of activities, including sports, theater, music, and the arts.
About Minnesota
Minnesota is in the north central United States near the geographic center of North America, and is 411 miles (575 kilometers) west of Chicago, borders Lake Superior and is the starting point of the Mississippi River. Minnesota gets its name from the Native American (Sioux) word minisota, meaning "water that reflects the sky."
The state is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," but Minnesota actually has more than 11,000 natural lakes over 10 acres in size and over 6,000 rivers and streams. With more than 90,000 miles (144,500 kilometers) of shoreline, Minnesota has more shoreline than the states of California, Florida and Hawaii combined.
Minnesota is also known as the “North Star State,” a translation of the French inscription on the state seal, L'Etoile du Nord.
Minneapolis and St. Paul are Minnesota’s largest cities and are often referred to collectively as the “Twin Cities” since they border each other. The Twin Cities metropolitan area, including suburbs, is the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States. More than half of Minnesota’s population lives in the Twin Cities area.
