Ridgewater College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Willmar, Minnesota. It enrolls 2,162 students (a mid-sized 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 (2-Year). 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
69/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes58
Value60
Affordability47
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Ridgewater College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Ridgewater College 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 $10,046 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$10,046
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
32%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
25%
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
$6,121
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,408
Books & Supplies
$1,236
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,906
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,694
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
$7,963
$30,001 – $48,000
$6,891
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,176
$75,001 – $110,000
$13,111
Over $110,000
$15,103
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.
$2,49710%percentile
$4,50025%percentile
$12,000Medianpercentile
$14,47975%percentile
$23,89890%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 $9,500
↓ $2,500
No Pell $7,857
↓ $4,143
Dependent students $6,779
↓ $5,221
Independent students $10,500
↓ $1,500
Female students $9,500
↓ $2,500
Male students $8,250
↓ $3,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,500, less than completers ($12,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
31% of full-time students who enrolled at Ridgewater College graduate within six years, and 69% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
31%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
69%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Ridgewater College earn a median of $43,827 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,827
Earning > $25K
71%
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
$29,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$43,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$32,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$35,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$40,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $14,200, about 33% 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 ↑
17.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 84% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Ridgewater College is home to 2,162 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 31% are first-generation college students, 42% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
2,162
Part-Time
42%
First-Generation
31%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 74.5%1,610
Hispanic 13.0%281
Black 5.1%110
Other 3.6%77
Asian 1.6%35
International 0.3%7
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Ridgewater College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteWillmar, Minnesota
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
24%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Ridgewater College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
54 distinct programs across
15 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 Ridgewater College is 18:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$10,842
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$3.6M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$75,081
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
87 instructional faculty across 1 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
Instructors
87
100%
$75,081
Pros & Cons of Ridgewater College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Ridgewater College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Best for:
Based on the data, Ridgewater College 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 Ridgewater College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Ridgewater College.
Is Ridgewater College hard to get into?
Ridgewater College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Ridgewater College?
Ridgewater College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Ridgewater College cost?
The average net price after aid at Ridgewater College is $10,046 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Ridgewater College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $43,827 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $10,046 per year. That's roughly 4.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Ridgewater College known for?
Ridgewater College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Ridgewater College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Ridgewater College are $43,827, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Ridgewater College accredited?
Yes. Ridgewater College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Ridgewater College?
Ridgewater College enrolls 2,162 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Ridgewater College?
Ridgewater College graduates 31% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Ridgewater College a public or private college?
Ridgewater College is a Public institution.
Where is Ridgewater College located?
Ridgewater College is located in Willmar, Minnesota.
What programs does Ridgewater College offer?
Ridgewater College offers 54 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Ridgewater College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Ridgewater College is 18:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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