L'Etoile du Nord or "The Star of the North" is the state motto for Minnesota. And it's no small wonder as this beautiful state really shines when it comes to natural beauty, it's people, and its internationally recognized art culture. Whether you're canoeing through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, dining on local fare and brews with friends or strolling through the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minnesota is a fantastic state to call home. With some of the best schools in the nation collectively, one of the nation's strongest GDP's and public school options there are a number of reasons why students prefer (and rightfully so) to obtain online degrees from colleges in this state.
In-state tuition is often applied to public schools offering online programs. Many online programs require some face-to-face time, or more numerous support services at their brick and mortar locations. Intensive study experiences — often on the weekends or in several week long bouts — enable many online students to accelerate their time until graduation. And students looking at online education can drastically expand their educational options if they also look to hybrid degrees (degrees where degrees can be taken partially, or mostly online). Finally, one of the most common stipulations in scholarships is that students be from a certain state or region, often more funds are available to students seeking degrees in-state.
Top Public Offerings
Many of the top public schools in Minnesota offer online programs of study at the associates through doctoral level. The University of Minnesota – Twin Cities offers 35 programs completely online including an impressive 14 doctoral degrees; not to mention it is in the top 100 schools in the nation. The Crookston campus, a top 40 regional ranked college according to US News, offers 13 online bachelor's degree programs. And for those looking to save money or transfer into a state university, there are a number of online community colleges that offer associate's degrees at an affordable price including Northwest Technical College, Minnesota State College — Southeast Technical offering a unique instrument repair program and Minnesota West Community and Technical College offering 9 online associate degree programs .
Top Private Offerings
There are also a number of private schools offering degrees online. Some of the private degree programs with the largest selection include schools like Concordia University which offers 37 degrees online; everything from associate's to doctoral degrees. Crown College offers 15 degrees online in areas like business administration, or non-profit management — there are also programs that range from an associate's degree to a master's degree. Augsburg College, one of the top value schools on our list, offers a bachelor's degree as well as 4 fully online master's degrees. Other private schools with online offerings include Martin Luther College, Luther Seminary and Alder Graduate School.
In 2015-16 the average published tuition price for state four-year universities was $7,998 ; that's $1,400 below the national average for public schools. The University of Minnesota schools average $12,743 per year just $3,400 above the national average. Though higher, the quality of education and standard of living for its residents is higher particularly in Twin Cities where the average salary is over $60,000 per year. An out-of-state resident would pay $23,806 nearly twice as much as those who are studying in-state. In addition, The University of Minnesota offers 35 degrees fully online. Concordia University, our top pick private university, costs $28,700 per year compared to $32,405 that is for average private institution's tuitions and fees. Concordia also offers 37 fully online programs that range from an associate's to a doctoral degree. Not to mention,saving on room and board means adding another $40,000 to your pocket. There's something to be said of staying in-state.
Minneapolis and St. Paul share not only their borders but also political, educational and cultural institutions. Together, these twins make up one out of the three cultural capitals of the North Coast region. Minneapolis located at the Falls of St Anthony, or tip of the Mississippi was and is in many respects still powered by the "minne" water "polis" city. The parks and recreation department has ensured that the cities impressive 22 chain of lakes provides excellent walking and biking paths. Or you can take an historic trolly ride from Lake Calhoun to Harriet. Just downstream from Minneapolis lies its twin sister, Saint Paul also the state's official capital city. Here you can peruse the Minnesota Museum of American Art or Summit Avenue known for its historic mansions. The University of Minnesota – Twin Cities is also located in Minneapolis and is a top nationally ranked school offers 35 degrees online including a B.S. in business management, a Master of Education in Family Education and a Doctorate of Nurse Practice in several areas of concentration. Other online degree-offering institutions in the Twin Cities include Metropolitan State University, St. Paul Community and Technical College, and several others.
Rochester is home to the world-famous Mayo Clinic which employs over 35,000 of its citizens and is the largest not-for-profit medical practice in the world. In part due to the great economical impact of the Mayo Clinic U.S. News placed Rochester in the top 10 of bot the Best Places to Grow Up and Best Cities for Job-Seeking Retirees. Meaning, Rochester is home for life. There's the budding arts and culture scene in Rochester and hockey to boot. Locals enjoy a thriving economy, great leisure options, and a strong efficient health-care system. In addition, Rochester is close to the University of Minnesota, Saint Mary's University, and Riverland, Minnesota State College as well as several others.
Duluth is a seaport town located on the shore of Lake Superior and also has a neighboring town in Superior, Wisconsin. Together they are known as the twin ports. There are miles of trails among the rocky cliffs and endless nature to explore in and around Duluth including the vertical cliff of Palisade Head, Isle Royale National Park, and the Grand Portage National Monument among others. Duluth has a strong boating and aviation culture with flying clubs and lessons as well as multiple fishing destinations as there are over 25 rivers and streams running through Duluth. It is also home to the University of Minnesota — Duluth, the Duluth Art Institute, and the Tweed Museum of Art.
The Best Online Colleges in Minnesota
Monitoring the accreditation of a university you are interested in attending is incredibly important. Accreditation ensures your credits can transfer that you can receive Federal financial aid, and most importantly that certain standards of educational quality are during your schooling. The highest accreditation standard for most programs in the United States is provided by regional accreditation agencies. The regional accrediting agency for Minnesota is the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional accrediting agencies responsible for accrediting schools in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Making sure that a University you're hoping to attend is regionally accredited — or accredited by a real and respected accrediting agency — is one of the most important choices you can make in ensuring the quality of your education.
Three Steps for Securing Financial Aid
Submit your FAFSA.
Check to see if additional forms are needed at your university of choice.
Search and apply for private scholarships.
Through the previous three steps most students find themselves offered some sort of federal grant, work study, private grant, scholarship, or stipend.
Great Missouri Higher Education Resources
For those undergraduate or graduate students interested in social justice, American rights, and helping low-income families you may be eligible for a Hawkinson Foundation scholarship. To find out more about this scholarship apply here.
Not sure if college is even possible. Now it is through College Possible a Minnesota non-profit that serves low-income students in Minnesota and across the nation.
If you're feeling competitive, here's a list of top scholarship for high school seniors nationwide.
Congratulations! You got into Twin Cities. They have a wide variety of scholarships available, check them out here.
Whether you're ready to take on a cause or are just looking for your future career, you can find the largest list of nonprofit jobs in Minnesota here.
Looking for a quality job in Minnesota? Home to many amazing institutions and Fortune 500 Companies, check out the top 100 places of employment here.
Want to make an impact in your community in Minnesota? Here's a great way to learn about organizations that make a difference.
If you're headed to the University of Minnesota and need a part-time job check this out.
For those who want to hit the trails off the beaten path, check out some of Minnesota's "Best Kept Secrets" here.
For all of your "Best Of" needs in The Twin Cities head here.
If you're heading to Winona State, you can ask a local what to do and where to go here.
If you need to know how you're going to survive a Minnesotan winter, just ask Garrison Keillor.
If you're interested in small neighborhood restaurants and eateries that tell a story check out this site.
With so many breweries in Minnesota to wade through you'll need a list that compiles the best. Check that out here.
As one of Canada's neighbors, Minnesota has its own unique wildlife. An exhaustive list can be found here.
