Minnesota's higher education institutions serve a significant portion of the state's population. Below are some facts and figures on public postsecondary schools.
Community and technical colleges
2006 fall enrollment: 110,582
Percentage change, 2002-06: 6.0
Minnesota state universities
2006 fall enrollment: 62,435
Percentage change, 2002-06: 1.3
University of Minnesota
2006 fall enrollment: 65,753
Percentage change, 2002-06: 4.7
Total public institutions: 238,769
Percentage change, 2002-06: 4.4
- 26 percent of Minnesota undergraduates were the first generation in their family to attend college, according to a 2004 survey by the U.S. Department of Education.
- 15 percent were people of color, compared with 11 percent of the entire state population.
- 12 percent report that at least one parent was not born in the United States.
- 83 percent of undergraduates worked during the academic year.
- 22 percent of all non-white students came from families making less than $30,000 per year, compared with 13 percent of white students.
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
- Number of schools: 32 institutions on 53 campuses in 46 communities
- MnSCU is the sixth-largest system of two- and four-year colleges and universities in the country, based on enrollment.
- More than 88 percent of graduates get jobs related to their field of study.
- More than 80 percent of graduates stay in Minnesota to work or continue studying.
MnSCU schools educate:
- 53 percent of the state's new teachers.
- 83 percent of the state's new nurses.
- 92 percent of the state's new law enforcement officers.
- 91 percent of new graduates in the construction trades.
- 42 percent of the state's new business graduates.
- 9,000 firefighters and emergency first responders each year.