Best Engineering Colleges in Minnesota (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 7 Engineering programs in Minnesota by median earnings of Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities leads the list, reporting $93,000 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the 5 schools with a published figure, median earnings range from $93,000 to $81,502, with a median of $91,528.
Public institutions account for 5 of the 7 listed schools, alongside 2 private nonprofit programs. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities ranks 107th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Saint Cloud State University posts the lowest average net price at $13,529.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Engineering Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $93,000 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities reports $93,000 in median earnings of Engineering graduates four years after completing and ranks 107th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (202 graduates), Chemical Engineering (86 graduates), Biomedical/Medical Engineering (81 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($119,781), Biomedical/Medical Engineering ($97,611), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($97,575) | |||||
| 2 | Saint Cloud State University · Saint Cloud, MN | No published median | $13,529 | $8,909 | 94.8% |
| Saint Cloud State University posts the lowest average net price on the page at $13,529 and admits 95% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (34 graduates), Computer Engineering (30 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (16 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($90,009), Mechanical Engineering ($87,503) | |||||
| 3 | University of St Thomas · Saint Paul, MN | $92,179 | $29,155 | $28,131 | 85.4% |
| A private nonprofit university in Saint Paul, University of St Thomas shows a six-year completion rate of 76% alongside median earnings of $92,179 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (80 graduates), Civil Engineering (29 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (22 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($93,981), Mechanical Engineering ($91,683) | |||||
| 4 | Winona State University · Winona, MN | $91,528 | $17,503 | $10,224 | 75.5% |
| Winona State University is the most selective school on the list, admitting 75% of applicants, and its graduates earn a median of $91,528 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Materials Engineering (19 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Materials Engineering ($91,528) | |||||
| 5 | University of Minnesota-Duluth · Duluth, MN | $86,676 | $18,743 | $7,256 | 88.8% |
| With an average net price of $7,256 for families earning under $30,000, University of Minnesota-Duluth reports median earnings of $86,676 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (106 graduates), Chemical Engineering (57 graduates), Civil Engineering (55 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering ($88,965), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($88,305), Chemical Engineering ($85,667) | |||||
| 6 | Minnesota State University-Mankato · Mankato, MN | $81,502 | $19,139 | $12,339 | 88.4% |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato ranks 6th on this list and reports a six-year completion rate of 54%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Civil Engineering (48 graduates), Engineering, General (37 graduates), Mechanical Engineering (36 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering ($85,286), Engineering, General ($82,903), Civil Engineering ($74,989) | |||||
| 7 | University of Northwestern-St Paul · Saint Paul, MN | No published median | $27,705 | $26,696 | 93.5% |
| University of Northwestern-St Paul carries an average net price of $27,705 and ranks 1293rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering, General (26 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Engineering earnings cohort in Minnesota appear. The figure reflects federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. It does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or the characteristics of the students who enroll, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 5 schools with a published figure. Across the list, median earnings span from $81,502 to $93,000, with University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Saint Cloud State University at the top.
Job market context in Minnesota
Engineering graduates in Minnesota enter a labor market that links to occupations such as Industrial Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, and Civil Engineers. The median annual wage across those occupations is $113,195, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $90,792. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 6.7% higher, with about 385 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, which is a different measure from the occupational wage figures reported here.