Capella University
A good fit for students who want a large campus community. graduation rate is below 25% — most students don't finish here; fewer than half of freshmen return for sophomore year. solid earnings of $72,600 within 10 years.
About This School
Capella University is a private for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota with approximately 18,364 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $17,956 per year. The graduation rate is 20%, and the typical graduate earns $72,600 within 10 years of enrollment.
Capella University is a private for-profit, online university headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is owned by the publicly traded Strategic Education, Inc. and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Nearly 44,000 students were enrolled in 2023.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: a 33% graduation rate and a rock-bottom 23% freshman retention rate suggest most students who start don't finish, which is a serious red flag worth understanding before enrolling. That said, graduates who do complete their degrees report median earnings of $72,600 at the 10-year mark, and median debt of just $8,814 is unusually low for a private institution. Worth considering if you're a self-directed adult learner who specifically needs Capella's flexible online format — but go in clear-eyed about the completion odds and ask hard questions about what support exists to help you finish.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 27% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Capella University graduates earn most above the national rate in Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management ($109,194 vs $85,063 nationally), and most below it in Accounting and Related Services ($71,589 vs $76,194).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 5,561 | $97,211 | $88,910 | +$8,301 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 597 | $87,997 | $68,257 | +$19,740 |
| Psychology, General | 556 | $51,571 | $50,706 | +$865 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 293 | $76,334 | $58,716 | +$17,618 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 166 | $76,004 | $68,069 | +$7,935 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 101 | $71,589 | $76,194 | −$4,605 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 82 | $99,561 | $92,374 | +$7,187 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 57 | $109,194 | $85,063 | +$24,131 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 11 | $59,375 | $55,378 | +$3,997 |
| Marketing | 10 | $80,588 | $69,303 | +$11,285 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 8 | $78,941 | $83,343 | −$4,402 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Strong return. Graduates earn well above their debt load.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (18,364 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Address
Capella University
225 South 6th Street, 9th Floor
Minneapolis, MN 55402-3389
Official Links
Schools Like This in Minnesota
Rasmussen University-Minnesota
St. Cloud, MN · Private for-profit
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN · Private for-profit
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Mankato, MN · Public
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN · Public
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN · Public
Normandale Community College
Bloomington, MN · Public
See How Colleges Compare
Capella University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Capella University cost?
The average net price at Capella University is about $17,956 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Capella University?
Capella University has a graduation rate of 20%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
All school names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this page is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement or affiliation with CollegeHelpGuide.