Minnesota State University-Mankato
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and in-state Minnesota residents. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 11,703 students.
About This School
Minnesota State University-Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota with approximately 11,703 undergraduate students enrolled. Minnesota State University-Mankato has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 88%. The average net price after financial aid is $19,139 per year. The graduation rate is 54%, and the typical graduate earns $48,400 within 10 years of enrollment.
Minnesota State University, Mankato is a public university in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. It is Minnesota's second-largest university, and has over 145,000 living alumni worldwide. Founded in 1868, it is the second-oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and is commonly referred to as the flagship institution. It was established as the "Second State Normal School" in 1858 and officially opened as "Mankato Normal School" a decade later.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: the low median debt at graduation ($14,000) and affordable net price make this one of the better public school values in the region, but a 54% graduation rate means nearly half of students who start here don't finish — worth asking hard questions about academic support and fit before enrolling. On the positive side, median earnings of $48,400 a decade out are solid relative to the cost, and the 80% freshman retention rate suggests most students who stick through year one do find their footing. Worth considering if you're a Minnesota resident looking for an affordable, mid-sized state school, but come in with a clear plan and the discipline to see it through.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
What This School Looks For
From the school's most recent Common Data Set (2022-23). What the admissions office actually weighs:
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: 10% 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.
Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates earn most above the national rate in Air Transportation ($103,858 vs $85,825 nationally), and most below it in Finance and Financial Management Services ($74,852 vs $83,343).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 353 | $82,429 | $88,910 | −$6,481 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 174 | $70,486 | $68,257 | +$2,229 |
| Psychology, General | 153 | $52,859 | $50,706 | +$2,153 |
| Marketing | 138 | $68,772 | $69,303 | −$531 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 127 | $57,506 | $54,562 | +$2,944 |
| Air Transportation | 105 | $103,858 | $85,825 | +$18,033 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 94 | $74,852 | $83,343 | −$8,491 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 94 | $64,585 | $55,378 | +$9,207 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 87 | $48,632 | $47,382 | +$1,250 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 82 | $95,398 | $92,374 | +$3,024 |
| Biology, General | 77 | $60,198 | $57,214 | +$2,984 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 75 | $73,726 | $76,194 | −$2,468 |
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?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
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 (11,703 undergraduates).
In the Classroom & On Campus
Class size distribution
Source: Minnesota State University-Mankato Common Data Set (2022-23).
Contact & Location
Address
Minnesota State University-Mankato
South Rd and Ellis Ave
Mankato, MN 56001
Official Links
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Century College
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Winona State University
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Minneapolis Community and Technical College
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See How Colleges Compare
Minnesota State University-Mankato 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
What is the acceptance rate at Minnesota State University-Mankato?
Minnesota State University-Mankato has an acceptance rate of 88%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Minnesota State University-Mankato hard to get into?
Not especially. Minnesota State University-Mankato has an acceptance rate of 88%, so admissions are relatively accessible for applicants who meet the requirements.
How much does Minnesota State University-Mankato cost?
The average net price at Minnesota State University-Mankato is about $19,139 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 Minnesota State University-Mankato?
Minnesota State University-Mankato has a graduation rate of 54%, 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.
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