Minnesota · Getting in
Most selective colleges in Minnesota
The short answer
The most selective four-year colleges in Minnesota are Carleton College (22% admitted), Crown College (23% admitted) and Macalester College (28% admitted), by acceptance rate.
Selective here means a low acceptance rate: the share of applicants the college admitted. A low rate says how many people a college turns away, not how good a fit it is for you. Each row also shows the average price after grants.
The list (18 of 35)
Four-year colleges in Minnesota with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest acceptance rate first. The list shows 18 of the 35 colleges with an acceptance rate on file. Rates come from IPEDS (fall 2024) for 14 colleges and each college's own Common Data Set (fall 2025) for 4 colleges.
- Carleton College 22% admitted Northfield, MN · Average price after grants: $25,295 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Crown College 23% admitted Saint Bonifacius, MN · Average price after grants: $25,963 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Macalester College 28% admitted Saint Paul, MN · Average price after grants: $27,851 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Bethany Lutheran College 39% admitted Mankato, MN · Average price after grants: $21,589 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- St Olaf College 43% admitted Northfield, MN · Average price after grants: $21,546 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Minneapolis College of Art and Design 49% admitted Minneapolis, MN · Average price after grants: $26,849 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Bemidji State University 56% admitted Bemidji, MN · Average price after grants: $16,327 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Minnesota State University Moorhead 59% admitted Moorhead, MN · Average price after grants: $17,601 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Gustavus Adolphus College 61% admitted Saint Peter, MN · Average price after grants: $24,148 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Southwest Minnesota State University 62% admitted Marshall, MN · Average price after grants: $16,501 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Concordia College at Moorhead 63% admitted Moorhead, MN · Average price after grants: $22,280 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- University of Minnesota-Rochester 71% admitted Rochester, MN · Average price after grants: $13,319 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- University of Minnesota-Morris 75% admitted Morris, MN · Average price after grants: $10,989 a year in-state, about $13,283 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Winona State University 76% admitted Winona, MN · Average price after grants: $17,413 a year in-state, about $24,582 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities 79% admitted Minneapolis, MN · Average price after grants: $17,330 a year in-state, about $40,216 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Concordia University-Saint Paul 79% admitted Saint Paul, MN · Average price after grants: $16,222 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Augsburg University 82% admitted Minneapolis, MN · Average price after grants: $23,390 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- University of St Thomas 85% admitted Saint Paul, MN · Average price after grants: $31,532 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
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What are the most selective colleges in Minnesota?
The most selective four-year colleges in Minnesota are Carleton College (22% admitted), Crown College (23% admitted) and Macalester College (28% admitted), by acceptance rate.
How many colleges on this list admit fewer than half of applicants?
6 of the 18 colleges listed admitted fewer than half of their applicants.
How recent are these acceptance rates?
Each row shows its year. Rates come from IPEDS, the federal college survey, for students who applied for fall 2024, or from the college's own Common Data Set for fall 2025 where that is newer.
Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.