Graduates of Southwest Minnesota State University earn median 4-year earnings of $55,009, placing Southwest Minnesota State University in the 24.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,029 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Southwest Minnesota State University in the 20.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Southwest Minnesota State University #1167 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to MN's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,273 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on education and human services fields, which align with regional workforce demand. Nursing is the largest program with 81 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $83,735, performing at 0.9x the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 45 students earning $55,559, and the The Kinesiology program graduates 40 students earning $54,554. Teacher Education and Special Education and Teaching round out the top five, with 38 and 23 graduates respectively. The concentration in Education reflects both the institution's academic focus and the stable, in-demand career pathways these fields support in rural and small-town Minnesota communities.
Graduates of Southwest Minnesota State University earn median 4-year earnings of $55,009, placing Southwest Minnesota State University in the 24.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,029 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Southwest Minnesota State University in the 20.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Southwest Minnesota State University #1167 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to MN's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,273 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on education and human services fields, which align with regional workforce demand. Nursing is the largest program with 81 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $83,735, performing at 0.9x the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 45 students earning $55,559, and the The Kinesiology program graduates 40 students earning $54,554. Teacher Education and Special Education and Teaching round out the top five, with 38 and 23 graduates respectively. The concentration in Education reflects both the institution's academic focus and the stable, in-demand career pathways these fields support in rural and small-town Minnesota communities.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of Southwest Minnesota State University earn median 4-year earnings of $55,009, placing Southwest Minnesota State University in the 24.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,029 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Southwest Minnesota State University in the 20.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Southwest Minnesota State University #1167 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to MN's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,273 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on education and human services fields, which align with regional workforce demand. Nursing is the largest program with 81 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $83,735, performing at 0.9x the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 45 students earning $55,559, and the The Kinesiology program graduates 40 students earning $54,554. Teacher Education and Special Education and Teaching round out the top five, with 38 and 23 graduates respectively. The concentration in Education reflects both the institution's academic focus and the stable, in-demand career pathways these fields support in rural and small-town Minnesota communities.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Southwest Minnesota State University's program mix is anchored in education and teacher preparation — a signature aligned with the institution's regional mission and Minnesota's workforce needs. Nursing is the largest program with 81 graduates annually, followed by Business Administration, Kinesiology, Teacher Education, and Special Education and Teaching. Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 428 students annually, the institution's strength concentrates in education-adjacent and applied-professional fields. The earnings pattern reflects Southwest Minnesota State University's positioning as a regional comprehensive university. Nursing leads with median earnings of $83,735 four years after enrollment, followed by Criminal Justice with $64,654, Business Administration with $55,559, Kinesiology with $54,554, and Psychology, General with $47,249. The institution's program portfolio emphasizes fields where regional demand remains steady — particularly Education, which accounts for a substantial share of degrees and aligns with Minnesota's education and public-service workforce. Several of these programs are grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because graduates often continue to graduate or professional school — notably education and psychology-related fields. Others, such as business and applied-professional programs, are direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter regional labor markets immediately and earnings reflect local employment outcomes. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how Southwest Minnesota State University's dominant program families align with regional and national workforce trends.
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Southwest Minnesota State University earn median 4-year earnings of $55,009, placing Southwest Minnesota State University in the 24.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,029 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Southwest Minnesota State University in the 20.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Southwest Minnesota State University #1167 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to MN's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,273 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on education and human services fields, which align with regional workforce demand. Nursing is the largest program with 81 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $83,735, performing at 0.9x the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 45 students earning $55,559, and the The Kinesiology program graduates 40 students earning $54,554. Teacher Education and Special Education and Teaching round out the top five, with 38 and 23 graduates respectively. The concentration in Education reflects both the institution's academic focus and the stable, in-demand career pathways these fields support in rural and small-town Minnesota communities.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
