Metropolitan State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It enrolls 5,616 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
64/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes25
Value81
Affordability73
Selectivity6
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 98.7%, Metropolitan State University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
98.7%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
16 – 21
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Metropolitan State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
40.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Metropolitan State University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $16,863 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$16,863
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
48%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
31%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$9,840
Room & Board (off-campus)
$15,864
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$9,064
Total Cost of Attendance
$25,172
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$15,238
$30,001 – $48,000
$16,656
$48,001 – $75,000
$16,659
$75,001 – $110,000
$18,994
Over $110,000
$21,905
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,25010%percentile
$6,50025%percentile
$17,100Medianpercentile
$24,14675%percentile
$33,41790%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $13,500
↓ $3,600
No Pell $12,500
↓ $4,600
Dependent students $10,127
↓ $6,973
Independent students $14,930
↓ $2,170
Female students $12,846
↓ $4,254
Male students $13,000
↓ $4,100
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,664, less than completers ($17,100), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
53% of full-time students who enrolled at Metropolitan State University graduate within six years, and 70% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
53%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
70%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Metropolitan State University earn a median of $64,705 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$64,705
Earning > $25K
85%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$47,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$58,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$43,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$55,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$59,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,700, about 18% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
16.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 81% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Metropolitan State University is home to 5,616 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 37% are first-generation college students, 48% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
5,616
Part-Time
48%
First-Generation
37%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Black 35.2%1,976
White 33.3%1,871
Asian 15.8%888
Hispanic 8.2%460
Other 5.3%299
International 1.6%87
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Metropolitan State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CitySaint Paul, Minnesota
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
54%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Metropolitan State University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
64 distinct programs across
20 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Metropolitan State University is 14:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,577
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$8.7M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$97,110
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
164 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
50
30%
$109,705
Associate Professors
65
40%
$94,833
Assistant Professors
48
29%
$87,492
Instructors
1
1%
$77,052
Pros & Cons of Metropolitan State University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Metropolitan State University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Reasonable class sizes
Solid post-graduation earnings
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
Below-average completion rate
Modest first-year retention
Best for:
Based on the data, Metropolitan State University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Metropolitan State University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Metropolitan State University.
Is Metropolitan State University hard to get into?
Metropolitan State University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 98.7%.
What is the acceptance rate at Metropolitan State University?
Metropolitan State University has an acceptance rate of 98.7%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What ACT score do you need for Metropolitan State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Metropolitan State University scored between 16 and 21 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Metropolitan State University cost?
The average net price after aid at Metropolitan State University is $16,863 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Metropolitan State University worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $64,705 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $16,863 per year. That's roughly 3.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Metropolitan State University known for?
Metropolitan State University is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Metropolitan State University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Metropolitan State University are $64,705, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Metropolitan State University accredited?
Yes. Metropolitan State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Metropolitan State University?
Metropolitan State University enrolls 5,616 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Metropolitan State University?
Metropolitan State University graduates 53% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Metropolitan State University a public or private college?
Metropolitan State University is a Public institution.
Where is Metropolitan State University located?
Metropolitan State University is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
What programs does Metropolitan State University offer?
Metropolitan State University offers 64 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Metropolitan State University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Metropolitan State University is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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