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Bloomington MN City Hall & Art CenterPhoto: Tyler Vigen · CC BY-SA 4.0
Colleges in and near Bloomington

Bloomington is home to four colleges, with 7,226 students on campus

Normandale Community College (6,023 students on campus) and Northwestern Health Sciences University (969) are inside the city. About 5% of Bloomington’s residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota (6%).

Normandale Community College

From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Bloomington. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
24
102,423 students on campus
Nearest college
0.8 mi
Normandale
Residents in college
5%
About the same as MN (6%)
Nearest community college
0.8 mi
Normandale · $6,329 tuition
Nearest public university
10.6 mi
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · $17,214 in-state
Median household income
$93K
prices below start here

What stands out about college in Bloomington

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

A community college in BloomingtonNormandale Community College has 6,023 students on campus in Bloomington, 27% of whom graduate within three years.In-state price at University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesLiving in Minnesota, the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities charges $17,214 in tuition and fees; from out of state, $38,362. State residency rules decide which a new arrival pays.Students are 5% of residentsAbout the same as Minnesota (6%). The Census counts anyone enrolled, including part-time and online students.
Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Bloomington

17 private colleges within 12.2 miles, two public colleges within 14.7 miles, and five community colleges.

5 mi10 mi15 miUniversity of Minnesota-Twin CitiesUniversity of St ThomasNormandaleBloomington
University or collegeCommunity college
Normandale Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · 6,023 on campus · In Bloomington$13knet price27%graduate$50kearningsTuition and fees: $6,329 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Northwestern Health Sciences UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 969 on campus · In Bloomington$36knet price0%graduate$49kearningsAcademy CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 117 on campus · In Bloomington$29knet price36%graduate$48kearningsBethany Global UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 117 on campus · In Bloomington93%admitted$38knet price56%graduateAdler Graduate SchoolUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 245 on campus · 6.4 mi · MinnetonkaGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Minneapolis College of Art and DesignUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 748 on campus · 9 mi · Minneapolis48%admitted$30knet price51%graduate$41kearningsSt Catherine UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,461 on campus · 9.2 mi · Saint Paul92%admitted$20knet price61%graduate$59kearningsUniversity of St ThomasUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 8,486 on campus · 10 mi · Saint Paul85%admitted$29knet price76%graduate$74kearningsMinneapolis Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · 4,006 on campus · 10 mi · Minneapolis$14knet price20%graduate$40kearningsTuition and fees: $6,161 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Dunwoody College of TechnologyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,225 on campus · 10 mi · Minneapolis99%admitted$27knet price66%graduate$62kearningsNorth Central UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 754 on campus · 10 mi · Minneapolis99%admitted$26knet price66%graduate$45kearningsAugsburg UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 3,107 on campus · 10.1 mi · Minneapolis82%admitted$24knet price52%graduate$59kearningsBethlehem College & SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 194 on campus · 10.1 mi · Minneapolis70%graduateMacalester CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,142 on campus · 10.4 mi · Saint Paul29%admitted$32knet price87%graduate$64kearningsUniversity of Minnesota-Twin CitiesUniversity or college · Public · 52,981 on campus · 10.6 mi · Minneapolis80%admitted$17knet price85%graduate$69kearningsEarnings are reported for all 2 campuses that file with it.Herzing University-MinneapolisUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 571 on campus · 11 mi · St. Louis Park94%admitted$17knet price47%graduate$37kearningsEarnings are reported for all 11 campuses that file with it.Concordia University-Saint PaulUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 3,243 on campus · 11.4 mi · Saint Paul79%admitted$18knet price46%graduate$60kearningsMitchell Hamline School of LawUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,167 on campus · 11.6 mi · Saint PaulGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Hamline UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,064 on campus · 12 mi · Saint Paul88%admitted$21knet price60%graduate$61kearningsLuther SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 258 on campus · 12.2 mi · Saint PaulGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Inver Hills Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · 2,321 on campus · 12.7 mi · Inver Grove Heights$12knet price24%graduate$50kearningsTuition and fees: $6,146 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Saint Paul CollegeCommunity college · Public · 4,000 on campus · 13 mi · Saint Paul$11knet price40%graduate$38kearningsTuition and fees: $6,326 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Dakota County Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · 2,068 on campus · 13.3 mi · Rosemount$14knet price58%graduate$52kearningsTuition and fees: $6,679 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Metropolitan State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · 3,156 on campus · 14.7 mi · Saint Paul99%admitted$17knet price44%graduate$65kearnings

Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at $75–110k, where Bloomington’s median household income ($93,211) falls.

Saint Paul College13 mi · Saint Paul · sticker $18,261 · tuition $6,326$13,354a year
Inver Hills Community College12.7 mi · Inver Grove Heights · sticker $17,103 · tuition $6,146$13,787a year
Dakota County Technical College13.3 mi · Rosemount · sticker $18,552 · tuition $6,679$14,517a year
Normandale Community CollegeIn Bloomington · sticker $18,694 · tuition $6,329$15,643a year
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities10.6 mi · Minneapolis · sticker $30,061$16,415a year
Minneapolis Community and Technical College10 mi · Minneapolis · sticker $19,683 · tuition $6,161$17,005a year
Metropolitan State University14.7 mi · Saint Paul · sticker $25,172$18,994a year
Concordia University-Saint Paul11.4 mi · Saint Paul · sticker $37,239$19,135a year
St Catherine University9.2 mi · Saint Paul · sticker $60,476$19,376a year
Macalester College10.4 mi · Saint Paul · sticker $82,991$20,527a year
Hamline University12 mi · Saint Paul · sticker $58,110$21,015a year
Herzing University-Minneapolis11 mi · St. Louis Park · sticker $26,163$22,492a year
Augsburg University10.1 mi · Minneapolis · sticker $62,303$23,223a year
University of St Thomas10 mi · Saint Paul · sticker $66,116$25,363a year
Dunwoody College of Technology10 mi · Minneapolis · sticker $36,587$27,706a year
North Central University10 mi · Minneapolis · sticker $44,475$28,167a year
Minneapolis College of Art and Design9 mi · Minneapolis · sticker $59,972$33,038a year
Bethany Global UniversityIn Bloomington · sticker $43,216$38,785a year
Northwestern Health Sciences UniversityIn Bloomington · sticker $39,863—a year
Academy CollegeIn Bloomington · sticker $33,874—a year

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college within 15 miles of Bloomington: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k0%25%50%75%100%Graduate →NormandaleUniversity of St ThomasMinneapolis Community and Technical CollegeUniversity of Minnesota-Twin CitiesConcordia University-Saint PaulSaint Paul College
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities85% graduate$69k earnings*$20k typical debt
University of St Thomas76% graduate$74k earnings$23k typical debt
Normandale Community College27% graduate$50k earnings$12k typical debt
Minneapolis Community and Technical College20% graduate$40k earnings$18k typical debt
Saint Paul College40% graduate$38k earnings$11k typical debt
Concordia University-Saint Paul46% graduate$60k earnings$18k typical debt
Metropolitan State University44% graduate$65k earnings$17k typical debt
Augsburg University52% graduate$59k earnings$25k typical debt
St Catherine University61% graduate$59k earnings$24k typical debt
Inver Hills Community College24% graduate$50k earnings$14k typical debt
Macalester College87% graduate$64k earnings$23k typical debt
Dakota County Technical College58% graduate$52k earnings$11k typical debt

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid. *Reported for all the campuses that file together: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (2); Herzing University-Minneapolis (11).

Majors

What students study in Bloomington

Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field across Bloomington’s 4 colleges, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.

Liberal arts 43%Business 20%Health professions 18%Computer science 6%Engineering tech 2%Public safety 2%Everything else 9%

Biggest programs

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesNormandale Community College · 701 graduates a year
$49k4 yrs out
Missions/Missionary Studies and MissiologyBethany Global University · 108 graduates a year
$32k4 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingNormandale Community College · 64 graduates a year
$80k4 yrs out
Computer ScienceNormandale Community College · 38 graduates a year
$81k4 yrs out
Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsNormandale Community College · 23 graduates a year
$71k4 yrs out
Engineering, GeneralNormandale Community College · 22 graduates a year
$68k4 yrs out
Accounting and Related ServicesNormandale Community College · 22 graduates a year
$59k4 yrs out
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsNormandale Community College · 12 graduates a year
$48k4 yrs out

College Scorecard: degree shares (PCIP; each college’s six largest fields are kept, the rest count as everything else) and the field-of-study file, median earnings 4 years after graduating.

Questions about college in Bloomington

Is Bloomington a college town?

No. About 5 of every 100 Bloomington residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), about the same as Minnesota (6). The largest campus in the city, Normandale Community College, has 6,023 students on campus.

What colleges are in Bloomington?

Normandale Community College, Northwestern Health Sciences University, Academy College and Bethany Global University are inside the city.

What is the closest community college to Bloomington, and what does it cost?

Normandale Community College in Bloomington, 0.8 miles away. Tuition and fees are $6,329 a year for Minnesota residents; the federal net price, $12,972, counts housing and food at full cost.

How much does the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities cost if we live in Minnesota?

Tuition and fees are $17,214 a year in-state and $38,362 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $6,642 (under $30,000 income) to $27,008 (over $110,000), housing and food included.

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Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bloomington. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →