Most Selective Minnesota Colleges
Minnesota has 6 four-year colleges that accept 50% or fewer of applicants, ranked from most to least selective.
Carleton College is the hardest to get into in Minnesota, accepting just 20% of 7,133 applicants. Also highly selective: Crown College, Macalester College and Bethany Lutheran College.
Selectivity does not always equal academic difficulty. Some schools admit a small share of applicants because demand exceeds capacity, not because admission standards are extreme. If you need safety schools, see our highest acceptance rate colleges in Minnesota. For academically demanding options, explore colleges with the highest SAT, highest ACT, and highest GPA averages.
Carleton College
- Private 4 Year
- Northfield, MN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- 20% acceptance rate
- Jan 15 application deadline
Carleton is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate natural sciences, economics, and political science. Most students live on the residential campus in the small college town of Northfield.
- SAT Range 1450-1560
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.9
- Net Price $28,047
Crown College
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Bonifacius, MN
-
| 0 reviews
- 23% acceptance rate
Crown College is a private Christian college known for undergraduate ministry, biblical studies, and nursing. The campus is in the small town of St. Bonifacius west of the Twin Cities.
- SAT Range 960-1150
- Avg GPA 3.22
- Net Price $27,332
Macalester College
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Paul, MN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- 29% acceptance rate
- Jan 15 application deadline
Macalester is a selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate international studies, political science, and economics. The urban campus sits in Saint Paul within the Twin Cities.
- SAT Range 1350-1510
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.81
- Net Price $40,225
Bethany Lutheran College
- Private 4 Year
- Mankato, MN
-
| 0 reviews
- 39% acceptance rate
- Jul 1 application deadline
Bethany Lutheran is a small private Lutheran college known for undergraduate education, business, and the liberal arts. Most students live on the residential campus in Mankato.
- SAT Range 1040-1180
- Avg GPA 3.51
- Net Price $21,127
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
- Private 4 Year
- Minneapolis, MN
-
| 0 reviews
- 48% acceptance rate
- Apr 1 application deadline
MCAD is a private art and design college known for undergraduate illustration, graphic design, and fine arts. The urban campus sits in Minneapolis near the city's museum and gallery district.
- SAT Range 1130-1340
- Avg GPA 3.29
- Net Price $30,305
St Olaf College
- Private 4 Year
- Northfield, MN
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
- 48% acceptance rate
- Jan 15 application deadline
St. Olaf is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music and the sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in the college town of Northfield.
- SAT Range 1300-1470
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Net Price $26,756