On the internet, there is a lot of incorrect information regarding colleges; however, this article provides information about the best art colleges in minnesota. 

A number of colleges are mentioned throughout the article, including minneapolis college, art high schools in minnesota, minneapolis college of art and design tuition, minneapolis college of art and design notable alumni and small private colleges in minnesota. You will also find related articles on best art colleges in minnesota on collegelearners.org.

best fine art colleges in minnesota

In today’s world and job market, a degree in liberal arts can be essential. Through a broad range of classes, liberal arts majors will learn skills beyond just the technicalities of a particular job. Students learn tools far more valuable such as communication, ethics, and “people skills” for starters. A liberal arts degree provides an overview of the arts, consisting of humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and natural sciences – all which are needed to contribute to society in a meaningful way.

A few of the more common areas within the study of liberal arts include communications, anthropology, English, history, language and linguistics, philosophy, math, political sciences, psychology, and sociology. If you’re looking for an overall great education for crucial life skills, exploring a liberal arts degree is a great idea.

Best Arts colleges in Massachusetts for 2021

Westfield State University Westfield, MA

Westfield State University offers 2 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies degree programs. It’s a medium sized, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2019, 182 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies students graduated with students earning 182 Bachelor’s degrees.

 Waltham, MA

Bentley University offers 1 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies degree programs. It’s a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2019, 86 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies students graduated with students earning 86 Bachelor’s degrees.

 Boston, MA

Emmanuel College offers 1 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies degree programs. It’s a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2019, 30 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies students graduated with students earning 30 Bachelor’s degrees.

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Lowell, MA

University of Massachusetts-Lowell offers 2 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies degree programs. It’s a large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2019, 94 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies students graduated with students earning 94 Bachelor’s degrees.

Framingham State University Framingham, MA

Framingham State University offers 2 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies degree programs. It’s a medium sized, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2019, 33 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies students graduated with students earning 33 Bachelor’s degrees.

American International College Springfield, MA

American International College offers 2 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies degree programs. It’s a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2019, 14 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies students graduated with students earning 14 Bachelor’s degrees.

University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth North Dartmouth, MA

University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth offers 2 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies degree programs. It’s a medium sized, public, four-year university in a midsize suburb. In 2019, 28 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies students graduated with students earning 28 Bachelor’s degrees.

Assumption College Worcester, MA

Assumption College offers 4 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies degree programs. It’s a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city.

Becker College offers 2 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies degree programs. It’s a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2019, 4 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies students graduated with students earning 4 Bachelor’s degrees.

largest private college in minnesota

Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges in Minnesota.

Best Private Colleges in Minnesota

There are nearly 200 post-secondary institutions in the U.S. state of Minnesota.^[1] The Twin Cities campus of the public University of Minnesota is the largest university in the state with 51,721 enrolled for fall 2010, making it the sixth-largest American campus by enrollment size.^[2] The University of Minnesota system has four other campuses in Crookston, Duluth, Morris, and Rochester.^[3] The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system comprises 37 public universities and on 54 campuses.^[4] Minnesota State University, referred to as the flagship of the Minnesota State system, is the second-largest university in the state.

The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul is Minnesota’s largest private university or college^[5] with a fall 2010 enrollment of 10,815 students.^[6] Center City-based Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies is the state’s smallest postsecondary institution, while Century College in White Bear Lake is Minnesota’s largest community and technical college.

The majority of Minnesota’s post-secondary institutions are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), but 22 have received accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Most are accredited by multiple agencies, such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the National League for Nursing (NLNAC), and the American Psychological Association (APA).

While the University of Minnesota was chartered by the state in 1851, it did not operate as a place of higher education for nearly two decades.^[10] St. Paul-based Hamline University is considered the state’s oldest private college or university, being founded in 1854 as a Methodist coeducational institution.^[11] Mayo Medical School, the University of Minnesota, and University of Minnesota Duluth feature the only medical schools in the state.^[12] Mitchell Hamline School of Law, the University of Minnesota Law School, and the University of St. Thomas School of Law are American Bar Association-accredited law schools.

Extant institutions

Institution	Location(s)	Control[note 1]	Type[note 2]	Enrollment[14] (fall 2010)	Founded	Accreditation[14]
Alexandria Technical and Community College	Alexandria	Public	Associate’s college	2,707	1961[15]	HLC
Anoka Technical College	Anoka	Public	Associate’s college	2,580	1967[16]	AOTA, NLNAC
Anoka-Ramsey Community College	Coon Rapids, Cambridge	Public	Associate’s college	9,419	1965[17]	HLC
Bemidji State University	Bemidji	Public	Master’s university	5,354	1919[18]	HLC, CCNE, NASM
Central Lakes College	Brainerd, Staples	Public	Associate’s college	4,447	1938[19]	HLC, ADA
Century College	White Bear Lake	Public	Associate’s college	10,918	1967[20]	HLC, ADA, JRCERT
Dakota County Technical College	Rosemount	Public	Associate’s college	3,673	1970[21]	HLC, ADA
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College	Cloquet	Public	Tribal college	2,339	1987[22]	The Higher Learning Commission, HLC
Hennepin Technical College	Brooklyn Park, Eden Prairie	Public	Associate’s college	6,728	1972[23]	HLC
Hibbing Community College	Hibbing	Public	Associate’s college	1,645	1916[24]	HLC, ADA
Inver Hills Community College	Inver Grove Heights	Public	Associate’s college	6,374	1970[25]	HLC, NLNAC
Itasca Community College	Grand Rapids	Public	Associate’s college	1,304	1922[26]	HLC
Lake Superior College	Duluth	Public	Associate’s college	5,186	1995[27]	HLC, ADA, APTA, JRCERT
Leech Lake Tribal College	Cass Lake	Public	Tribal college	250	1990[28]	None
Mesabi Range College	Virginia, Eveleth	Public	Associate’s college	1,738	1996[29]	HLC
Metropolitan State University	St. Paul, Minneapolis	Public	Master’s university	7,787	1971[30]	HLC, CCNE
Minneapolis Community and Technical College	Minneapolis	Public	Associate’s college	10,545	1996[31]	HLC, ADA, NLNAC
Minnesota State College Southeast	Winona, Red Wing	Public	Associate’s college	2,626	1949[32]	HLC
Minnesota State Community and Technical College	Fergus Falls, Detroit Lakes, Moorhead, Wadena	Public	Associate’s college	6,981	1960[33]	HLC
Minnesota State University, Mankato	Mankato	Public	Master’s university	15,435	1868[34]	HLC, ADA, ADA, ASHA, CCNE, NASAD, NASM, NCATE, NLNAC
Minnesota State University Moorhead	Moorhead	Public	Master’s university	7,536	1885[35]	HLC, ASHA, CCNE, NASAD, NASM, NCATE
Minnesota West Community and Technical College	Granite Falls, Canby, Jackson, Pipestone, Worthington	Public	Associate’s college	3,465	1967[33]	HLC
Normandale Community College	Bloomington	Public	Associate’s college	10,169	1968[36]	HLC, ADA, ADA, NASAD, NASM, NAST, CCNE
North Hennepin Community College	Brooklyn Park	Public	Associate’s college	7,505	1966[33]	HLC, NLNAC
Northland Community & Technical College	Thief River Falls, East Grand Forks	Public	Associate’s college	4,135	1949[37]	HLC, NLNAC
Northwest Technical College	Bemidji	Public	Associate’s college	1,424	1965[38]	HLC, ADA
Pine Technical and Community College	Pine City	Public	Associate’s college	1,047	1965[33]	HLC
Rainy River Community College	International Falls	Public	Associate’s college	366	1967[39]	HLC
Ridgewater College	Hutchinson, Willmar	Public	Associate’s college	4,373	1996[40][41]	HLC, NLNAC
Riverland Community College	Albert Lea, Austin, Owatonna	Public	Associate’s college	4,015	1940[42]	HLC, JRCERT, NLNAC
Rochester Community and Technical College	Rochester	Public	Associate’s college	6,228	1915[43]	HLC, ADA, NLNAC
St. Cloud State University	St. Cloud	Public	Master’s university	18,650	1869[44]	HLC, AAMFT, ASHA, CCNE, NASAD, NASM, NCATE
St. Cloud Technical and Community College	St. Cloud	Public	Associate’s college	4,883	1948[33]	HLC, ADA
Saint Paul College	St. Paul	Public	Associate’s college	6,166	1910[45]	HLC, NASM
South Central College	North Mankato, Faribault	Public	Associate’s college	4,268	1946[46]	HLC, ADA
Southwest Minnesota State University	Marshall	Public	Master’s university	6,611	1963[47]	HLC, NASM
University of Minnesota Crookston	Crookston	Public	Baccalaureate college	2,528	1966[47]	HLC
University of Minnesota Duluth	Duluth	Public	Master’s university	11,729	1947[48]	HLC, ASHA, NASM, NCATE
University of Minnesota Morris	Morris	Public	Baccalaureate college	1,811	1960[49]	HLC, NCATE
University of Minnesota Rochester	Rochester	Public	Associate’s college	143	1966[50]	AOTA
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities	Minneapolis, St. Paul	Public	Research university	51,721	1851[48]	HLC, MEAC, ACPE, AAMFT, ABA, ABFSE, ADA, ADA, AOTA, APTA, APA, ASHA, AVMA, CAHME, CCNE, AANA, CEPH, LCME, NASD, NASM, NAST, NCATE
Minnesota North College – Vermilion	Ely	Public	Associate’s college	752	1922[51]	HLC
White Earth Tribal and Community College	Mahnomen	Public	Tribal college	121	1997[52]	HLC
Winona State University	Winona, Rochester	Public	Master’s university	8,630	1858[53]	HLC, CCNE, NASM, NAST, NCATE
Academy College	Minneapolis	Private not-for-profit	Special-focus institution	205	1936[54][18]	ACCSC
Adler Graduate School	Minnetonka	Private not-for-profit	Special-focus institution	421	1967[55]	HLC
Augsburg University	Minneapolis	Private not-for-profit (Lutheran)	Master’s university	4,073	1869[18][56]	CCNE, NASM, NCATE
Bethany Global University	Bloomington	Private not-for-profit (Non-denominational Christian)	Special-focus institution	135	1948[57]	ABHE
Bethany Lutheran College	Mankato	Private not-for-profit (Lutheran)	Baccalaureate college	607	1927[58][59]	HLC
Bethel University	Arden Hills	Private not-for-profit (Baptist)	Master’s university	4,242	1871[59][60]	HLC, CCNE, NCATE, NLNAC
Carleton College	Northfield	Private not-for-profit	Baccalaureate college	2,020	1866[61][62]	HLC
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University	St. Joseph, Collegeville	Private not-for-profit (Roman Catholic)	Baccalaureate college	3,938 (CSB-SJU Combined)	1857 (SJU) 1913 (CSB)[63]	HLC, ADA, CCNE, NASM, NCATE
College of St. Scholastica	Duluth	Private not-for-profit (Roman Catholic)	Master’s university	3,898	1912[64]	AOTA, APTA, CCNE, NCATE
Concordia College	Moorhead	Private not-for-profit (Lutheran)	Baccalaureate college	2,114	1891[65]	HLC, ADA, CCNE, NASM
Concordia University	St. Paul	Private not-for-profit (Lutheran)	Master’s university	2,958	1893[66][67]	HLC, NCATE
Crown College	St. Bonifacius	Private not-for-profit (Christian and Missionary Alliance)	Baccalaureate college	1,176	1916[67][68]	HLC, ABHE, CCNE
Dunwoody College of Technology	Minneapolis	Private not-for-profit	Associate’s college	1,409	1914[69]	HLC
Gustavus Adolphus College	St. Peter	Private not-for-profit (Lutheran)	Baccalaureate college	2,455	1862[70]	HLC, CCNE, NASM, NCATE
Hamline University	St. Paul	Private not-for-profit (Methodist)	Master’s university	5,008	1854[71]	HLC, ABA, NASM, NCATE
Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies	Center City	Private not-for-profit	Special-focus institution	105	1999[72]	HLC
Luther Seminary	St. Paul	Private not-for-profit (Lutheran)	Special-focus institution	796	1869[73]	ATS, HLC
Macalester College	St. Paul	Private not-for-profit (Presbyterian)	Baccalaureate college	2,033	1874[74]	HLC
Martin Luther College	New Ulm	Private not-for-profit (Lutheran)	Baccalaureate college	837	1995[75]	HLC
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science	Rochester	Private not-for-profit	Special-focus institution	186	1915[76]	HLC, ADA, APTA, APA, ACPE, AANA, JRCERT, LCME
Minneapolis College of Art and Design	Minneapolis	Private not-for-profit	Special-focus institution	727	1886[30][77]	NASAD, HLC
Mitchell Hamline School of Law	St. Paul	Private not-for-profit	Special-focus institution	1,013	1900[78]	ABA
North Central University	Minneapolis	Private not-for-profit (Assemblies of God)	Baccalaureate college	1,381	1930[35]	HLC
Northwestern Health Sciences University	Bloomington	Private not-for-profit	Special-focus institution	852	1941[79]	HLC, CMTA, CCE
Oak Hills Christian College	Bemidji	Private not-for-profit (Non-denominational Christian)	Special-focus institution	138	1946[80]	ABHE
St. Catherine University	St. Paul, Minneapolis	Private not-for-profit (Roman Catholic)	Master’s university	5,328	1905[44]	HLC, ADA, AOTA, APTA, MACTE, NLNAC
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota	Winona, Minneapolis	Private not-for-profit (Roman Catholic)	Master’s university	6,058	1912[81]	HLC, JRCERT, NASM
St. Olaf College	Northfield	Private not-for-profit (Lutheran)	Baccalaureate college	3,156	1874[82]	HLC, CCNE, NASD, NASM, NAST, NCATE
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities	New Brighton	Private not-for-profit (United Church of Christ)	Special-focus institution	171	1960[83]	ATS, HLC
University of Northwestern – St. Paul	Roseville	Private not-for-profit (Non-denominational Christian)	Baccalaureate college	3,100	1902[80]	HLC, NASM
University of St. Thomas	St. Paul, Minneapolis	Private not-for-profit (Roman Catholic)	Doctoral/research university	10,815	1885[84]	HLC, ABA, APA, CAHME, ATS, NASM
American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine	Roseville	Private for-profit	Special-focus institution	107	1997[85]	ACAOM
Capella University	Minneapolis	Private for-profit	Doctoral/research university	39,457	1993[86]	HLC, NCATE
Washington Online Learning Institute	Minneapolis	Private for-profit	Career college	409	2005[87]	MSA
Institute of Production and Recording	Minneapolis	Private for-profit	Associate’s college	456	2002[88]	ACCSC
Minneapolis Business College	Roseville	Private for-profit	Associate’s college	377	1874[89]	ACICS
Northwest Technical Institute	Eagan	Private for-profit	Associate’s college	67	1957[90]	ACCSC
Rasmussen College	Various	Private for-profit	Associate’s college	[note 3]	1904[92]	HLC
The Art Institutes International Minnesota	Minneapolis	Private for-profit	Special-focus institution	1,994	1964[93]	ACICS, HLC
Walden University	Minneapolis	Private for-profit	Doctoral/research university	47,456	1970[94]	HLC, NLNAC, CCNE

Defunct institutions

Institution	Location(s)	Control	Founded	Closed	Ref
Albert Lea College	Albert Lea	Private (Presbyterian)	1885	1973
Argosy University	Eagan	Private for-profit	2001	2019	[95]
College of Visual Arts	St. Paul	Private (not-for-profit)	1924	2013	[96]
Duluth Business University	Duluth	Private for-profit	1891[97]	2018	[98]
Fairlakes State Junior College	Fairmont	Public	1973	1975	[99][100]
Golden Valley Lutheran College	Golden Valley	Private (Lutheran)	1919	1985	[101]
International Center for Naturobioholistic Health and Medicine	Bemidji, Minnesota	Private for-profitaccredited ACICS	1978	1984	[102]
Lea College	Albert Lea	Private	1965	1973	[103]
Pillsbury Baptist Bible College	Owatonna	Private (Independent Baptist)	1957	2008	[104]
College of Saint Teresa	Winona	Private (Roman Catholic)	1907	1989	[105]
Southern Minnesota Normal College	Austin	Public	1897	1925	[106]
Minnesota Central University	Hastings	Public	1857	1867
University of Minnesota Waseca	Waseca	Public	1971	1992	[107]
Brown College	Mendota Heights, Brooklyn Center	Private for-profit	1946	2015
Crossroads College	Rochester	Private (Church of Christ)	1913	2016	[108]
Globe University and Minnesota School of Business	multiple	Private for-profit	1877	2016
McNally Smith College of Music	St. Paul	Private for-profit	1985	2017
National for-proft institution National American University operated campuses in Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Burnsville, Rochester and Roseville that offered associate’s and bachelor’s degrees.National for-profit institution the University of Phoenix formerly operated a campus in St. Louis Park that offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees.[109]

Out-of-state institutions

• National for-profit institution Anthem Education Group has a campus in St. Louis Park that offers associate’s degrees.^[110][111]
• National for-profit institution DeVry University operates a campus in Edina that offers associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees.^[112]
• National for-profit institution Herzing University operates a campus in Crystal that offers associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees.^[113]
• National for-profit institution ITT Technical Institute operates a campus in Eden Prairie that offers associate’s and bachelor’s degrees.