Minnesota higher education 101

Higher education meets students’ varied needs

About 370,000 Minnesotans are enrolled in some form of college education, earning everything from technical degrees to baccalaureates to doctorates. They attend three main types of institutions:

• Private nonprofits — the 17 members of the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) make up most of this group and award about one-third of the bachelor’s degrees in the state;
• Publics (e.g., the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system); and
• Private for-profits (both local and national).

It takes the sum of all the parts of our higher education options to address the diverse needs of prospective students. Great research universities and community colleges, technical schools and liberal arts institutions, small campuses and large, urban and rural — all are needed to meet Minnesotans’ varied educational needs.

Higher education drives Minnesota’s economic success

Access to and completion of a higher education degree provides Minnesota with the individuals who can propel our economy forward. In this global economy, Minnesota’s ability to retain and attract employers will largely depend on the education and productivity of our workforce.

Higher education improves Minnesota graduates’ quality of life

A post-secondary degree can make the difference in the lifelong earning potential and overall quality of life of the state’s residents. The income gap between high school graduates and college graduates has increased significantly over time. The nonmonetary rewards of a college education include better health and greater opportunities for the next generation.

Higher education works to open opportunity for all Minnesota students

More than one out of four students come from families with incomes below $50,000 — at MPCC member institutions as well as MnSCU and the U of M. Or consider “first-generation” college students, meaning that neither of their parents completed nor attended college themselves; they make up one out of five students at MPCC institutions.

Yet we know that students from lower-income families and certain ethnic groups have lower likelihoods earning college degrees. There are a number of ways that colleges are working to ensure the doors to opportunity are open to all, including through targeted recruitment, retention efforts and partnerships with programs that offer additional support.

Higher education relies on state-funded need-based aid

Minnesota’s State Grant program provides critical support, helping make higher education possible for one out of three Minnesota college students from low- and middle-income families. The state invested $147 million in aid in the most recent academic year, helping more than 80,000 students — most of whom attend public institutions. However, funding for the State Grant has not been keeping up with student needs. To reach the state’s full potential, we need to give more students the opportunity to choose the institutions that are best for them and pursue a post-secondary education.

• The Facts
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