One Minnesota Community College Just Scored a Top Spot in the Nation
Everyone talks about college like it has to cost a small fortune, but that’s not necessarily true. Community colleges have been doing their thing for decades, giving students a legit education without the eye-popping price tag that comes with a four-year school.
Right now, the average tuition for a full-time, in-state student at a public two-year college is about $4,050 a year, according to WalletHub. Compare that to over $11,000 for a public university and more than $43,000 for a private one. Community college is a solid choice for anyone who doesn’t want to spend the next 20 years writing checks to Nelnet.
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Another thing they have going for them is that a lot of community colleges have smaller class sizes, more flexible schedules, and professors who actually know your name.
And according to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo, “A good community college minimizes costs for students while also providing an enriching learning experience that leads to high student retention and high graduation rates.”
Not All Community Colleges Are Created Equal
WalletHub just released its Best & Worst Community Colleges of 2025 rankings this week, and one Minnesota school cracked the Top 10 in the entire country. They compared 653 schools across the U.S. using 18 factors like tuition costs, graduation rates, and graduate salaries to find the schools that deliver the most bang for your buck.
How Many Community Colleges Are in Minnesota?
According to US News, Minnesota has more than 30 community and technical colleges spread across the state from the Iron Range to the Twin Cities suburbs to SE Minnesota farm country.
They’re part of the Minnesota State system, which means tuition is generally lower than at universities and credits transfer easily to four-year schools.
Alexandria Technical & Community College Among America’s Top 10 for 2025
Alexandria Technical & Community College is located right in the middle of Minnesota’s lakes country and has earned the No. 10 spot in the entire nation on WalletHub’s 2025 list of best community colleges.
It’s a smaller campus with about 2,500 students and you can choose from 35 different degree and certificate programs, according to US News. Some of those include Liberal Arts and Sciences, Criminal Justice, and Diesel Mechanics. Class sizes aren’t huge either. The student-to-faculty ratio is about 20-to-1 and they have an open admissions policy, which means they accept anyone with a high school diploma or GED.
This little gem scored especially high for career outcomes, ranking 9th in the country for things like graduate salaries, job placement, and how many former students are out-earning the average high school grad.
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Not too shabby for a campus in lakes country. Affordable education, small-town charm, and a summer job on the water… sounds kind of perfect.
Top 10 Best Colleges in Minnesota - 2025 Overall Ranking
Gallery Credit: Minnesota Now