State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in Minnesota

Name: Minnesota College Net Price Rankings
Creator: PlainCampus

White Earth Tribal and Community College has the lowest average net price in Minnesota ($1,811); the widest sticker-to-net gap is at Carleton College, not necessarily the cheapest campus.

Compiled by PlainCampus , Independent campus-safety data publisher

$1,811
Cheapest net price: $16,863
Minnesota median: 80
Schools ranked

White Earth Tribal and Community College has the lowest average net price in Minnesota among Scorecard reporters

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, White Earth Tribal and Community College posts the lowest average net price in Minnesota at $1,811 among 80 ranked schools, with the state median 2% below the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

Cheapest net price: $1,811
Minnesota median: $16,863
Schools ranked: 80
National median: $17,124

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

White Earth Tribal and Community College has the lowest average net price in Minnesota at $1,811/year, and the state's median net price is 2% below the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.

$1,811
cheapest ranked net price: $16,863
Minnesota median net price: 40 public / 40 private
schools in this ranking: $13,158
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $13,158 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Carleton College, where in-state published tuition of $68,892 falls to an average net price of $25,407 after aid, a $43,485 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked Minnesota schools.

Across 80 ranked Minnesota schools, 40 are public and 40 are private. Sector sits beside every row because a low price at a specialty campus is not the same signal as a low price at a large public college.

The bar to make this top-25 list is $13,529. Here is where that cutoff sits among all 80 Scorecard-reporting Minnesota schools:

The bar to make Minnesota's top-25 cheapest list

Average net price after aid · 80 Scorecard-reporting schools

$13,529 Among the most affordable more affordable than 69% of 80 Minnesota colleges

Show national distribution

Each bar is a $4K-wide band; taller bars hold more Minnesota colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23

Minnesota's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

White Earth Tribal and Community CollegeMahnomen, MN · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $1,811
Net price (<$30K income): $2,710
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: -
Enrollment: 119

Red Lake Nation CollegeRed Lake, MN · Public

Avg net price: $5,672
Net price (<$30K income): $4,771
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: -
Enrollment: 338

Avalon School of CosmetologyWorthington, MN · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $6,507
Net price (<$30K income): $6,182
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $21,096
Enrollment: 15

Riverland Community CollegeAustin, MN · Public

Avg net price: $7,427
Net price (<$30K income): $6,612
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $41,043
Enrollment: 3,959

University of Minnesota-MorrisMorris, MN · Public

Avg net price: $8,837
Net price (<$30K income): $1,694
Median debt: $18,995
Median earnings, 6yr: $43,163
Enrollment: 981

South Central CollegeNorth Mankato, MN · Public

Avg net price: $9,082
Net price (<$30K income): $6,470
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $40,637
Enrollment: 2,731

St Cloud Technical and Community CollegeSaint Cloud, MN · Public

Avg net price: $9,635
Net price (<$30K income): $6,889
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $42,307
Enrollment: 4,030

Ridgewater CollegeWillmar, MN · Public

Avg net price: $10,046
Net price (<$30K income): $7,963
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $40,862
Enrollment: 3,148

Hennepin Technical CollegeBrooklyn Park, MN · Public

Avg net price: $10,272
Net price (<$30K income): $7,924
Median debt: $11,433
Median earnings, 6yr: $46,905
Enrollment: 4,572

Minnesota North CollegeHibbing, MN · Public

Avg net price: $10,432
Net price (<$30K income): $6,879
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $38,107
Enrollment: 3,174

Century CollegeWhite Bear Lake, MN · Public

Avg net price: $10,906
Net price (<$30K income): $9,717
Median debt: $14,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $41,959
Enrollment: 8,726

Model College of Hair DesignSaint Cloud, MN · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $10,946
Net price (<$30K income): $11,841
Median debt: $7,139
Median earnings, 6yr: $29,411
Enrollment: 199

Northwest Technical CollegeBemidji, MN · Public

Avg net price: $10,996
Net price (<$30K income): $6,638
Median debt: $15,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $41,389
Enrollment: 978

Minnesota West Community and Technical CollegeGranite Falls, MN · Public

Avg net price: $11,191
Net price (<$30K income): $8,950
Median debt: $10,987
Median earnings, 6yr: $39,894
Enrollment: 3,695

Saint Paul CollegeSaint Paul, MN · Public

Avg net price: $11,495
Net price (<$30K income): $10,177
Median debt: $10,925
Median earnings, 6yr: $36,932
Enrollment: 5,198

Inver Hills Community CollegeInver Grove Heights, MN · Public

Avg net price: $11,636
Net price (<$30K income): $9,373
Median debt: $13,965
Median earnings, 6yr: $43,586
Enrollment: 3,804

Saint Mary's University of MinnesotaWinona, MN · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $11,704
Net price (<$30K income): $16,182
Median debt: $21,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $54,549
Enrollment: 4,505

North Hennepin Community CollegeBrooklyn Park, MN · Public

Avg net price: $12,186
Net price (<$30K income): $10,326
Median debt: $14,750
Median earnings, 6yr: $43,014
Enrollment: 5,563

University of Minnesota-CrookstonCrookston, MN · Public

Avg net price: $12,212
Net price (<$30K income): $5,758
Median debt: $20,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $51,905
Enrollment: 2,612

Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeFergus Falls, MN · Public

Avg net price: $12,556
Net price (<$30K income): $9,111
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $41,829
Enrollment: 5,645

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community CollegeCloquet, MN · Public

Avg net price: $12,677
Net price (<$30K income): $9,779
Median debt: $14,181
Median earnings, 6yr: $37,251
Enrollment: 1,789

Pine Technical & Community CollegePine City, MN · Public

Avg net price: $12,798
Net price (<$30K income): $11,875
Median debt: $14,392
Median earnings, 6yr: $37,079
Enrollment: 1,794

Normandale Community CollegeBloomington, MN · Public

Avg net price: $12,972
Net price (<$30K income): $11,011
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $42,298
Enrollment: 11,026

Leech Lake Tribal CollegeCass Lake, MN · Public

Avg net price: $13,115
Net price (<$30K income): $13,169
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $24,734
Enrollment: 209

Saint Cloud State UniversitySaint Cloud, MN · Public

Avg net price: $13,529
Net price (<$30K income): $8,909
Median debt: $21,058
Median earnings, 6yr: $47,215
Enrollment: 10,732

#	College	Avg net price	Net price (<$30K income)	Median debt	Median earnings, 6yr	Enrollment
1	White Earth Tribal and Community CollegeMahnomen, MN · Private nonprofit	$1,811	$2,710	-	-	119
2	Red Lake Nation CollegeRed Lake, MN · Public	$5,672	$4,771	-	-	338
3	Avalon School of CosmetologyWorthington, MN · Private for-profit	$6,507	$6,182	-	$21,096	15
4	Riverland Community CollegeAustin, MN · Public	$7,427	$6,612	$12,000	$41,043	3,959
5	University of Minnesota-MorrisMorris, MN · Public	$8,837	$1,694	$18,995	$43,163	981
6	South Central CollegeNorth Mankato, MN · Public	$9,082	$6,470	$12,000	$40,637	2,731
7	St Cloud Technical and Community CollegeSaint Cloud, MN · Public	$9,635	$6,889	$12,000	$42,307	4,030
8	Ridgewater CollegeWillmar, MN · Public	$10,046	$7,963	$12,000	$40,862	3,148
9	Hennepin Technical CollegeBrooklyn Park, MN · Public	$10,272	$7,924	$11,433	$46,905	4,572
10	Minnesota North CollegeHibbing, MN · Public	$10,432	$6,879	$12,000	$38,107	3,174
11	Century CollegeWhite Bear Lake, MN · Public	$10,906	$9,717	$14,250	$41,959	8,726
12	Model College of Hair DesignSaint Cloud, MN · Private for-profit	$10,946	$11,841	$7,139	$29,411	199
13	Northwest Technical CollegeBemidji, MN · Public	$10,996	$6,638	$15,000	$41,389	978
14	Minnesota West Community and Technical CollegeGranite Falls, MN · Public	$11,191	$8,950	$10,987	$39,894	3,695
15	Saint Paul CollegeSaint Paul, MN · Public	$11,495	$10,177	$10,925	$36,932	5,198
16	Inver Hills Community CollegeInver Grove Heights, MN · Public	$11,636	$9,373	$13,965	$43,586	3,804
17	Saint Mary's University of MinnesotaWinona, MN · Private nonprofit	$11,704	$16,182	$21,500	$54,549	4,505
18	North Hennepin Community CollegeBrooklyn Park, MN · Public	$12,186	$10,326	$14,750	$43,014	5,563
19	University of Minnesota-CrookstonCrookston, MN · Public	$12,212	$5,758	$20,500	$51,905	2,612
20	Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeFergus Falls, MN · Public	$12,556	$9,111	$12,000	$41,829	5,645
21	Fond du Lac Tribal and Community CollegeCloquet, MN · Public	$12,677	$9,779	$14,181	$37,251	1,789
22	Pine Technical & Community CollegePine City, MN · Public	$12,798	$11,875	$14,392	$37,079	1,794
23	Normandale Community CollegeBloomington, MN · Public	$12,972	$11,011	$12,000	$42,298	11,026
24	Leech Lake Tribal CollegeCass Lake, MN · Public	$13,115	$13,169	-	$24,734	209
25	Saint Cloud State UniversitySaint Cloud, MN · Public	$13,529	$8,909	$21,058	$47,215	10,732

Showing the 25 cheapest of 80 Scorecard-reporting Minnesota schools. The remaining 55 are ranked in the same net-price order but omitted from this HTML table so the page stays crawlable.

Look up any institution's exact rank via My School Profile, or open its school page for income-bracket net price, debt, and earnings.

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What this means for you

Use Minnesota's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

White Earth Tribal and Community College reports the lowest average net price in Minnesota, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View White Earth Tribal
See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. Minnesota safety

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 25 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for Minnesota. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.

Minnesota's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

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