Ridgewater College

    Willmar, MN, United States

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    • Public
    • Remote town
    • Technical community college

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    Ridgewater College Outcomes

    Ridgewater College has 20 programs with reported graduate earnings. The highest is Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (certificate), where graduates earn a median $77,727 four years after finishing, against $64,693 for the same field nationally.

    Outcomes

    Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
    45%

    Graduation rate

    First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time

    64%

    First-year retention

    Students who return for a second year

    Median earnings

    $50,062

    Former students who received federal aid

    Ridgewater College graduate earnings by major

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, 2025

    Median earnings of graduates who received federal aid, one and four years after finishing, and the median federal loan debt they borrowed at Ridgewater College. The field median is the middle value for the same field and credential across every college that reports it. 57 more programs have too few graduates for earnings to be published.

    Largest program
    Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
    199 graduates · $48,951 median earnings
    Above the national median
    12 of 20 programs
    Graduate earnings compared with the same field and credential at other colleges
    Lowest debt for the pay
    Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
    Median debt is 15% of a year's earnings

    Highest-earning programs

    Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (certificate)
    $77,727
    Field median $64,693
    Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians (associate)
    $73,764
    Field median $73,919
    Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians (certificate)
    $73,528
    Field median $73,958
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (associate)
    $69,504
    Field median $79,943
    Criminal Justice and Corrections (associate)
    $63,210
    Field median $47,306
    Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (associate)
    $56,493
    Field median $51,921
    Agricultural Production Operations (certificate)
    $56,311
    Field median $46,904
    Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (associate)
    $56,138
    Field median $50,895
    Median earnings four years after finishing, or one year where four is not reported.

    Associate programs

    Associate programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians30$69,525$73,764$73,9190% above$12,000
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing76$69,192$69,504$79,94313% below$18,041
    Criminal Justice and Corrections15N/A$63,210$47,30634% above$16,758
    Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians13$56,493N/A$51,9219% aboveN/A
    Electrical and Power Transmission Installers16$56,138N/A$50,89510% aboveN/A
    Accounting and Related Services10$46,404$50,108$49,1382% aboveN/A
    Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities199$39,816$48,951$42,77414% above$10,500
    General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations7N/A$47,662$39,48621% aboveN/A
    Health and Medical Administrative Services8$40,448$40,575$41,4452% belowN/A
    Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians42$35,778$40,054$42,0865% below$14,171
    Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods19$35,752$26,033$37,89831% below$12,000

    Certificate programs

    Certificate programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Electrical and Power Transmission Installers19$51,988$77,727$64,69320% above$12,000
    Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians8N/A$73,528$73,9581% belowN/A
    Agricultural Production Operations7N/A$56,311$46,90420% aboveN/A
    Precision Metal Working45$52,031$54,714$49,10011% aboveN/A
    Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians16$45,031$51,792$50,5932% aboveN/A
    Agricultural Business and Management32$52,027$50,046$50,0460% aboveN/A
    Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants21$46,896$44,191$56,82122% below$10,500
    Design and Applied Arts9N/A$41,332$39,9334% aboveN/A
    Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services21$27,239$29,574$25,01218% above$9,104

    Career paths from this college

    Careers linked to the programs Ridgewater College reports, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for the whole occupation, not for this college's graduates.

    Explore all 458 careers
    • Bright outlook

      Healthcare practitioners

      Nurse Anesthetists

      Median pay
      $236,590
      Outlook
      Much faster than average

      Master's degree

      Via Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

      • Critical Thinking
      • Reading Comprehension
      • Active Learning
    • Management

      Chief Executives

      Median pay
      $213,990
      Outlook
      As fast as average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Business/Commerce, General, Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

      • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Complex Problem Solving
      • Critical Thinking
    • Management

      Chief Sustainability Officers

      Median pay
      $213,990
      Outlook
      As fast as average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Business/Commerce, General, Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

      • Critical Thinking
      • Writing
      • Active Listening
    • Bright outlook

      Management

      Computer and Information Systems Managers

      Median pay
      $175,140
      Outlook
      Much faster than average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Computer Software and Media Applications, Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

      • Critical Thinking
      • Active Listening
      • Reading Comprehension
    • Bright outlook

      Management

      Clinical Research Coordinators

      Median pay
      $167,220
      Outlook
      Much faster than average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Biology, General, Chemistry

      • Active Listening
      • Reading Comprehension
      • Writing
    • Bright outlook

      Management

      Natural Sciences Managers

      Median pay
      $167,220
      Outlook
      Much faster than average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Biology, General, Chemistry

      • Science
      • Active Listening
      • Critical Thinking

    Explore these programs

    Every field of study, with the colleges that offer it and what graduates earn.

    Programs A–Z

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