Ridgewater College
A good fit for families looking for lower cost and students who prefer a mid-size campus. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 2,162 students.
About This School
Ridgewater College is a public institution located in Willmar, Minnesota with approximately 2,162 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $10,046 per year. The graduation rate is 48%, and the typical graduate earns $35,900 within 10 years of enrollment.
Ridgewater College is a public community college in Willmar and Hutchinson, Minnesota. It was founded in 1996 as part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. It was created by the consolidation of Willmar Community College and Hutchinson-Willmar Regional Technical College. Its name refers to the rivers and lakes near the colleges and to the glacial ridge in the region.
Worth considering if you're looking for an affordable, low-risk entry point into a career or transfer path — at just $10,955/year in net cost and a median debt of only $9,196 at graduation, you're unlikely to leave buried in loans. The honest concern is that median earnings sit at $35,900 a decade out, which is modest, so this school makes the most sense for students pursuing specific technical programs with clear local job demand rather than those expecting broad career flexibility or high earning potential.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
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: 29% 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.
Ridgewater College graduates earn most above the national rate in Criminal Justice and Corrections ($63,210 vs $46,706 nationally), and most below it in Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($26,033 vs $37,656).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 195 | $48,951 | $44,125 | +$4,826 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 80 | $69,504 | $80,813 | −$11,309 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 38 | $40,054 | $41,460 | −$1,406 |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | 26 | $73,764 | $73,046 | +$718 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 22 | $63,210 | $46,706 | +$16,504 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 19 | $40,575 | $37,073 | +$3,502 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 16 | $26,033 | $37,656 | −$11,623 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 16 | $50,108 | $47,660 | +$2,448 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | 13 | $47,662 | $46,500 | +$1,162 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing an associate'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 (2,162 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Schools Like This in Minnesota
Inver Hills Community College
Inver Grove Heights, MN · Public
Minnesota North College
Hibbing, MN · Public
Dakota County Technical College
Rosemount, MN · Public
South Central College
North Mankato, MN · Public
Riverland Community College
Austin, MN · Public
Minnesota West Community and Technical College
Granite Falls, MN · Public
See How Colleges Compare
Ridgewater College 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 Ridgewater College cost?
The average net price at Ridgewater College is about $10,046 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 Ridgewater College?
Ridgewater College has a graduation rate of 48%, 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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