Colleges and Universities in Minnesota rank among the best in the United States of America. The state has a robust public university system that ensures a top-notch, affordable education, and there are some top private schools, as well.
In late 2018, economists were warning of a coming economic slowdown. They based their projection on the sense that there weren't enough workers to fill the state's jobs. However, there are still opportunities for those with a degree.
What are the most popular bachelor's degrees offered in Minnesota?
When you head to college, one of the first things people will ask you is: what do you plan to study?
While you don't have to know immediately, it is good to at least have some general idea. That is, are you more attracted to hard sciences like Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics or social sciences such as Economics, Psychology, or Sociology. You could also study a subject in the humanities, such as Philosophy, English Literature, Foreign Language, History, or Political Science.
The majority of popular bachelor's degrees offered in Minnesota happen to fall under the realm of business. Minnesotans also gravitate towards Health Sciences, and Criminal Justice. While you are sure to find excellent instruction and expertly-designed curriculum in the top degree programs, you will likely find the same in other departments. That is to say that when you go to college, consider the fields that appeal to you the most.
Here is a list of Minnesota's most popular bachelor's degrees:
Since the economic downturn in 2008, Minnesota has experienced phenomenal growth. Economists see this growth as possibly ebbing in the future. One reason is that there aren't enough workers to fill the state's open positions. Another reason is due to the trade war with China, which is hitting Minnesota's agricultural sector very hard.
Nevertheless, Minnesota has strong fundamentals, including a well-educated workforce, and your education could help you solve some of these problems for your state.
Top Accounting Careers and Salaries
CAREER NAME
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Tax Preparers
1,350
$45,200
IRS Agent
1,170
$78,000
Financial Adviser
3,900
$59,800
Financial Manager
15,750
$134,000
Consultant
14,050
$74,600
Tax Preparers: As a tax preparer, you will work with people's tax forms, which is a huge responsibility. While you might work under a CPA who ultimately signs off on the documents, you must be absolutely precise so that every figure is accurate and that every deduction is accounted for.
IRS Agent: You may be able to find work with the IRS and have your student loan debt forgiven – according to the stipulations of the federal forgiveness program. Your duties will involve checking tax return documents, auditing taxpayers, and generally upholding the tax code.
Financial Adviser: Financial advisers help people save for their kid's college, retirement, and more. You might even be called to help handle the assets in a divorce. You’ll seek out investment opportunities and find clever ways to structure acquisitions to avoid a huge tax burden.
Financial Manager: A Financial Manager works with a corporation in much the same way a Financial Adviser works with an individual or a family. You will help your employer make long-term decisions about assets that ensure the health of the company. You might work with equity salespeople and trade stocks to maximize the potential of small market fluctuations.
Consultant: CPAs often start their careers working for large consulting firms to help domestic and foreign companies achieve their maximum efficiency and profitability. You will find yourself auditing and streamlining companies in specific industries.
Best Minnesota Schools for Accounting
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
University of Minnesota – Duluth
St. John's University
Top Business Administration - Management Careers and Salaries
CAREER NAME
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Cost Estimators
4,480
$56,800
Sales Managers
10,700
$61,600
Industrial and Production Managers
5,370
$72,400
Logistician
3,280
$66,700
Construction Managers
5,880
$78,000
Cost Estimators: Construction projects are major undertakings with a breathtaking number of variables. This is particularly true in large projects such as an apartment complex or a skyscraper. Thus, developers hire cost estimators who can assess the future costs of a project and help the company create a budget.
Sales Managers: If you have strong leadership abilities, love sales, and know what it takes to post strong sales numbers quarter after quarter, then you probably have a future as a sales manager. It's not usual for sales managers to start without any experience, so you will need to log approximately five years of experience prior to entering management.
Industrial Production Managers: Some say that manufacturing is on the wane in the United States. However, there are still factories and other manufacturing facilities all over Minnesota and the upper Midwest. You might consider taking some courses in Industrial Engineering, as you will need to have a strong sense of how industrial systems work from that granular, scientific viewpoint.
Logistician: Logisticians figure out the difficult puzzle of their company's Supply Chain. They work to figure out how goods are best transported across the nation and globe, factoring in all the possible costs and expediting their packages.
Construction Managers: Every construction crew has a manager who oversees the entire project. In this position, you will oversee possibly hundreds of workers, countless subcontractors, and manage tons of building materials. Then, you will need to coordinate with the client/developer and the architects.
Best Minnesota Schools for Business Administration
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
University of St. Thomas
Augsburg College
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
St. John's University
Top Criminal Justice Careers and Salaries
CAREER NAME
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Detectives and Criminal Investigators
1,390
$61,800
Information Security Analyst
2,230
$72,800
Private Detective
35,000
$57,900
Forensic Science Technician
90
$57,600
Correctional Officers
4,860
$40,600
Detectives and Criminal Investigators: In this work, you might be called to investigate violent crimes, vice crimes, or white collar crimes. Each area has its own unique attributes, and frequently the three areas overlap. If you love solving puzzles and have a passion for law and justice, you will do well in this career path.
Information Security Analyst: These days crime isn't always done in the physical realm. People can steal millions of dollars and never touch a single bill. To catch these criminals, you will need to study both criminal justice and computer science, as this field overlaps both. Once credentialed with a degree and perhaps a certificate or two, you could work for the local police, federal investigators, or even consult with private firms who are concerned about cyber safety.
Private Detective: If you love investigating but don't want to work for the police or federal investigators, you can work for a private firm. Frequently, independent investigators work with attorneys as a way to maintain steady business. While Private Detectives in movies are depicted investigating marital infidelity, they also help families find long-lost relatives, adoptees find their natural parents, and even look into crimes so that victims can have one last chance at justice.
Forensic Science Technician: Forensic Science Technicians study fibers, blood samples, and other trace evidence at a crime scene as a means to determine who committed a crime. You will have to be meticulous with how you gather samples so that they aren't tainted, but you will be instrumental in bringing criminals to justice.
Correctional Officer: Correctional Officers work with incarcerated individuals either inside a prison or jail, but they also work with people on probation. As a probation officer, you can help former prisoners re-adjust to civilian life. You will probably have to send some back to prison, but victories in rehabilitation will always stand out as lifetime achievements – for you and them.
Best Minnesota Schools for Criminal Justice
Capella University
Concordia University – St Paul
Hamline University
Top Health Administration Careers and Salaries
CAREER NAME
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Medical and Health Services Managers
8,330
$70,400
Financial Analyst
9,460
$61,500
Healthcare Informatics
5,760
$68,400
Communications
-
-
Medical Equipment Sales
5,830
$63,500
Medical and Health Services Managers: Hospitals need CEOs and even small general practices need administration to help ensure that inventories are full and there's adequate, well-trained staff on hand.
Financial Analyst: A financial analyst will examine the financial state of a business and make decisions on investments.
Healthcare Informatics: Hospitals and other health systems have mountains of data to parse. This data informs not only how to treat an individual, but how to manage and run the entire organization. Consider informatics as the nexus of humanity and data, patient outcomes and the bottom line.
Communications: Every hospital these days has some sort of publication that it makes available to patients in waiting rooms. As a communications professional in healthcare, you will report, write, and layout these sorts of materials, and more. You may also send press releases to announce a new MRI machine, or the successes of your cardiac wing, for instance.
Medical Equipment Sales: Most sales jobs involve you selling consumer goods or some business-to-business items that are of value. However, when you enter medical equipment sales, you will sell items that literally change lives. Even selling wheelchairs or crutches will be a boon to someone's life.
Best Minnesota Schools for Health Administration
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
University of Minnesota – Duluth
St. John's University
Top Health Sciences Careers and Salaries
CAREER NAME
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Occupational Therapist
3,020
$73,700
Physical Therapist
4,670
$71,500
Radiology Technician
4,690
$48,300
Registered Nurse
71,000
$65,500
Nurse Practitioner
3,970
$97,600
Occupational Therapist: If you love helping a wide range of patients, you might consider achieving your master's degree in Occupational Therapy. You might work with geriatric patients who suffer from dementia, practicing certain tasks with them in hopes that they might remain more independent. You could also work with teenagers who suffer with mental illness. They need help with staying on track with homework, managing a tumultuous and confusing social life, all while dealing with their specific mental issues.
Physical therapists: These professionals help those injured in accidents to recover full, or at least partial, use of their body. The goal is to get back the patient’s full mobility.
Radiology Technician: These technicians are responsible for working with MRI and X-ray machines to provide the full spectrum of available diagnostic tools, so that doctors can diagnose and treat patients.
Registered Nurse: These are the supervisory nurses in hospitals and clinical settings. They are the first line of care for patients in long-care facilities and perform a number of vital tasks to improve patient outcomes.
The state of Minnesota offers a wide variety of diverse two-year associate degree programs that can meet the needs of students interested in any career field. With some of the best associate degrees to choose from, you can earn credits quickly and affordably. Graduates will have the knowledge and skills necessary to enter the workforce right away, as well as the credits needed to transfer to a four-year institution in the future.
CenterPoint Massage & Shiatsu Therapy School & Clinic
College Type 2-year, Private for-profit
Campus Housing No
Student Population 94
Graduation Rate 82%
Net Price $19,295
Institute of Production and Recording
College Type 4-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit
Campus Housing No
Student Population 187
Graduation Rate 63%
Net Price $24,202
Alexandria Technical & Community College
College Type 2-year, Public
Campus Housing No
Student Population 2,591
Graduation Rate 58%
Net Price $13,175
Dakota County Technical College
College Type 2-year, Public
Campus Housing No
Student Population 2,433
Graduation Rate 55%
Net Price $10,805
Dunwoody College of Technology
College Type 4-year, primarily associate's, Private not-for-profit
Are you interested in a career that requires a four-year bachelor’s degree? Or maybe you need to meet certain academic requirements before enrolling in an advanced degree program or earning certification in your field? Consider applying for one of these great bachelor’s degree programs available in the state of Minnesota. These top institutions can provide you with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to achieve all your career goals, no matter what your preferred field of study is.
While not all fields require an advanced degree, many employers give preference to candidates who have one. Those who choose from the master’s degrees available in Minnesota are more likely to receive higher salaries, more promotional opportunities, and better job security. This is because graduate and doctoral degree programs help graduates gain highly developed skills in analysis and critical thinking, attributes that are extremely desirable in every career field. Another option is an MBA program in Minnesota, which is also an advanced degree that helps graduates develop additional needed skills.
