Minnesota Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide
This guide to teaching schools in Minnesota is designed to help aspiring teachers find the right program for their future career goals. There are many colleges and universities that offer teacher preparation programs that train students to work as professional educators. The information on this page includes lists of top-rated teaching programs, a table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation programs, and student reviews. For anyone looking to obtain a teaching degree in Minnesota, this guide aims to help you find the best possible program for your individual needs.
Quick Facts
- There are 53 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Minnesota.1
- 20 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.*1
- 30 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*1
- 20 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*1
- 8 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019.2
- No schools ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2020.3
- 4 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019.4
- 4 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019.5
- 12 not-for-profit teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.
*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.
Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in Minnesota
Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*
- Carleton College (#39)
- St. Olaf College (#61)
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (#74)
- University of Minnesota-Morris (#161)
- St. John’s University (#200)
- Bethel University (#224)
- College of Saint Benedict (#231)
- University of St. Thomas (#269)
*Institution-wide ranking.
US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (#21)
- University of Minnesota-Duluth (#177 tie)
- Hamline University (#195-258)
- University of St. Thomas (#195-258)
US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019
- College of St. Scholastica (#89 tie)
- Concordia University St. Paul (#131 tie)
- Minnesota State University-Moorhead (#194 tie)
- Martin Luther College (#200 tie)
School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Minnesota
Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs
We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in Minnesota according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Minnesota Board of Teaching for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.
While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states. Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies. We have also included rankings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research and policy group that scores teacher preparation programs at the national level using key standards chosen to measure students’ preparation for success in teaching. For further information on the NCTQ’s program rankings, please see the notes below the table.
You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution for the 2017-2018 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education records under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides for reporting that holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality.
Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “–“.
State-Approved School | CAEP Accred.?6 | NCTQ Undergrad Elementary Prog. % (2016)**7 | NCTQ Undergrad Secondary Prog. % (2017)**7 | Teacher Prep Prog. Enrollment8 | Teacher Prep Prog. Completers8 | Licensing Exams Pass Rate8 | Net Price***1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Augsburg College | Yes | 91% | 86% | 217 | 109 | 63% | $24,020 |
Bemidji State University | No | 47% | — | 380 | 140 | 87% | $14,653 |
Bethany Lutheran College | No | — | — | 36 | 11 | 91% | $18,074 |
Bethel University | Yes | 98% | — | 409 | 122 | 87% | $28,706 | College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University | Yes | — | 96% | 200 | 68 | 74% | $26,912 |
College of St. Scholastica | Yes | 74% | 76% | 291 | 95 | 88% | $23,942 |
Concordia College Moorhead | No | 70% | 81% | 142 | 85 | 83% | $24,228 |
Concordia University St. Paul | No | 12% | 25% | 197 | 52 | 44% | $19,714 |
Crown College | No | — | 71% | 55 | 13 | 62% | $22,622 |
Gustavus Adolphus College | No | 57% | 86% | 90 | 30 | 93% | $29,894 |
Hamline University | Yes | 89% | — | 400 | 128 | 83% | $22,090 |
Martin Luther College | No | — | — | 456 | 97 | 75% | $18,503 |
Metropolitan State University | No | 2% | — | 296 | 68 | 55% | $13,954 |
Minnesota State University-Mankato | Yes | 96% | 86% | 975 | 179 | 76% | $13,704 |
Minnesota State University-Moorhead | Yes | 74% | 71% | 449 | 199 | 87% | $15,541 |
North Central University | No | — | — | 22 | 20 | 85% | $20,993 |
Southwest Minnesota State University | No | 41% | 67% | 145 | 76 | 65% | $14,854 |
St. Catherine University | No | 66% | — | 80 | 26 | 96% | $20,523 |
St. Cloud State University | Yes | 29% | 57% | 748 | 206 | 87% | $13,684 |
St. Mary’s University of Minnesota | No | — | — | 184 | 78 | 97% | $22,554 |
St. Olaf College | No | — | 98% | 90 | 29 | 100% | $27,587 |
University of Minnesota-Crookston | No | 54% | — | 16 | 11 | 50% | $13,962 |
University of Minnesota-Duluth | Yes | 89% | 98% | 338 | 121 | 76% | $16,381 |
University of Minnesota-Morris | Yes | 70% | 94% | 58 | 34 | 98% | $11,472 |
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Yes | — | — | 393 | 244 | 95% | $16,808 |
University of Northwestern – St. Paul | No | 76% | — | 92 | 42 | 86% | $24,516 |
University of St. Thomas | Yes | 86% | 91% | 318 | 129 | 75% | $31,470 |
Winona State University | Yes | — | 81% | 326 | 216 | 80% | $16,678 |
*The NCTQ rated undergraduate elementary teaching programs in 2016 and undergraduate secondary teaching programs in 2017 by national percentile based on their overall scores on the NCTQ’s standards for teacher education. Schools that do not provide data on all key standards or that fall below the top 50% of schools nationally are not included by the NCTQ in their ratings. Visit the NCTQ website for more information on its standards and methodologies.
**Net price is per year for undergraduate tuition as calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).
Profiles of Well-Known Schools
University of Minnesota, Crookston: The Liberal Arts and Education Department at the University of Minnesota, Crookston confers two degrees for future educators: A Bachelor of Science (BS) in Early Childhood Education and a BS in Elementary Education. The Early Childhood Education curriculum focuses on training students to meet the educational needs of children from newborns up through eight years of age (3rd grade) using a developmental approach. When combined with an emphasis in primary education, students are qualified to apply for licensure as teachers within the state of Minnesota. The university’s advanced Early Childhood facility is a recognized benefit for students, allowing them to gain laboratory and practical experience working with younger children. The Elementary Education program prepares students to teach children from kindergarten through grade six. Emphasizing career skills, this program provides students with hands-on learning and practice experiences guided by full-time faculty. Before completion of the degree, students take the Teacher Performance Assessment, a national assessment that analyzes a student’s preparedness to teach.
St. Olaf College: St. Olaf College’s Department of Education is focused on graduating future teachers who have sound knowledge in specific subject matter areas. In addition to a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, St. Olaf College can recommend graduates for licensure in major subject areas including mathematics, biology, English as a second language, and science. Admission to the teacher education program is based on the prospective student’s GPA and strength of his or her overall application, which includes an interview with education and content-area faculty. Once accepted, all students complete at least 120 hours of field experience prior to completing a formal student teaching placement. To qualify for continuation in the program from semester to semester, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in proposed licensure content areas and overall. St. Olaf College’s education program is approved by the Minnesota Board of Teaching. Students who are pursuing licensure in a state-recognized teacher shortage area in Minnesota may be eligible for the Minnesota Teacher Shortage Student Loan Repayment Program.
Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Minnesota
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55454
(612) 330-1000
www.augsburg.edu
Bemidji State University
1500 Birchmont Dr
Bemidji, MN 56601
(800) 475-2001
www.bemidjistate.edu

Bethel University
3900 Bethel Dr
Saint Paul, MN 55112-6902
(651) 638-6400
cas.bethel.edu
Century Community and Technical College*
3300 Century Ave N
White Bear Lake, MN 55110
(651) 770-3200
www.century.edu
College of St Catherine
2004 Randolph Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55105
(651) 690-6000
www.stkate.edu
Concordia College at Moorhead
901 S 8th St
Moorhead, MN 56562
(218) 299-4100
www.cord.edu
Concordia University-Saint Paul
275 Syndicate Street North
Saint Paul, MN 55104-5494
(651) 641-8278
www.csp.edu
Crown College
8700 College View Drive
Saint Bonifacius, MN 55375-9001
(952) 446-4100
Gustavus Adolphus College
800 West College Avenue
Saint Peter, MN 56082-1498
(507) 933-8000
www.gustavus.edu
Hamline University
1536 Hewitt Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55104-1284
(651) 523-2800
www.hamline.edu
Mesabi Range Community and Technical College*
1001 Chestnut St W
Virginia, MN 55792
(218) 741-3095
www.mr.mnscu.edu
Metropolitan State University
700 E Seventh St
Saint Paul, MN 55106-5000
(651) 793-1212
www.metrostate.edu
Minnesota State College Southeast*
308 Pioneer Rd, Red Wing, MN 55066
(651) 385-6300
https://www.southeastmn.edu/

Minnesota State Community and Technical College*
1414 College Way
Fergus Falls, MN 56537-1000
(218) 736-1500
www.minnesota.edu
Minnesota State University-Mankato
South Rd and Ellis Ave
Mankato, MN 56001
(507) 389-1866
www.mnsu.edu
Minnesota State University-Moorhead
1104 7th Ave S
Moorhead, MN 56563
(218) 477-4000
www.mnstate.edu

Minnesota West Community and Technical College*
1593 11th Ave
Granite Falls, MN 56241
(320) 564-4511
www.mnwest.edu
Northland Community and Technical College*
1101 Hwy # 1 East
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
(218) 683-8800
Northwestern College-Saint Paul
3003 Snelling Ave N
Saint Paul, MN 55113-1598
(651) 631-5100
www.nwc.edu
Pillsbury Baptist Bible College
315 S Grove
Owatonna, MN 55060
(507) 451-2710
Ridgewater College
2101 15th Ave NW
Willmar, MN 56201
(800) 722-1151
www.ridgewater.edu
Rochester Community and Technical College*
851 30th Ave SE
Rochester, MN 55904-4999
(507) 285-7210
www.rctc.edu
Saint Cloud State University
720 Fourth Ave. South
Saint Cloud, MN 56301-4498
(320) 308-0121
www.stcloudstate.edu


Saint Cloud Technical College
1540 Northway Drive
Saint Cloud, MN 56303-1240
(320) 308-5000
www.sctc.edu
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
700 Terrace Heights
Winona, MN 55987-1399
(507) 457-1600
https://www.smumn.edu/


Southwest Minnesota State University
1501 State St
Marshall, MN 56258-5468
(507) 537-7021
www.smsu.edu
St. Olaf College
1520 St Olaf Ave
Northfield, MN 55057-1098
(507) 786-2222
www.stolaf.edu
The College of Saint Scholastica
1200 Kenwood Ave
Duluth, MN 55811-4199
(218) 723-6000
www.css.edu
University of Minnesota-Crookston
2900 University Ave
Crookston, MN 56716-5001
(800) 862-6466
www.umcrookston.edu
University of Minnesota-Duluth
515 Darland Administration Bldg
Duluth, MN 55812
(218) 726-8000
www.d.umn.edu

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
100 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0213
(612) 625-5000
University of St Thomas-Saint Paul
2115 Summit Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55105-1078
(651) 962-5000
www.stthomas.edu
Winona State University
8th and Johnson St
Winona, MN 55987-5838
(507) 457-5000
www.winona.edu
An asterisk (*) denotes a two-year or certificate program in education. While a two-year degree will not qualify graduates for teacher certification, it can be a good starting point for a teaching career. To learn more about what you can do with this degree, see our guide to associate’s degrees in education.
References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Tile
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
5. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
6. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
7. National Council on Teacher Quality Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
8. US Department of Education 2018 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx