Match #1
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Moorhead, MN
Profile closeness91/100
Admit rate59%
- 3,072 students
- Public
- Suburb: Midsize
- Graduation rate 53%, close to 48%
- Enrollment 3,072 students, close to 2,315
The colleges most similar to Southwest Minnesota State University are Minnesota State University Moorhead, Bemidji State University, and Saint Cloud State University. Southwest Minnesota State University admits 62% of applicants and has an average net price of $16,501 a year; 3 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 8 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Southwest Minnesota State University. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Southwest Minnesota State University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, MN
Profile closeness87/100
Admit rate56%
- 3,139 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 51%, close to 48%
- Enrollment 3,139 students, close to 2,315
Match #3
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN
Profile closeness77/100
Admit rate95%
- 5,088 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 44%, close to 48%
- Average net price $16,062, close to $16,501
Match #4
Winona State University
Winona, MN
Profile closeness75/100
Admit rate75%
- 5,144 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Average net price $17,413, close to $16,501
- Same control type (public)
Match #5
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Mankato, MN
Profile closeness64/100
Admit rate88%
- 11,703 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 56%, close to 48%
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #6
Metropolitan State University-Minnesota
Saint Paul, MN
Profile closeness64/100
Admit rate99%
- 5,616 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 46%, close to 48%
- Same control type (public)
Match #7
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Main Campus
Minneapolis, MN
Profile closeness34/100
Admit rate80%
- 31,855 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Average net price $17,330, close to $16,501
- Same control type (public)
Match #8
Minot State University
Minot, ND
Profile closeness88/100
Admit rate65%
- 2,062 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 45%, close to 48%
- Enrollment 2,062 students, close to 2,315
Match #9
Dakota State University
Madison, SD
Profile closeness84/100
Admit rate88%
- 2,071 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 49%, close to 48%
- Enrollment 2,071 students, close to 2,315
Match #10
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Rapid City, SD
Profile closeness84/100
Admit rate80%
- 2,071 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 52%, close to 48%
- Enrollment 2,071 students, close to 2,315
Questions about Southwest Minnesota State University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Southwest Minnesota State University?
The closest matches to Southwest Minnesota State University are Minnesota State University Moorhead, Bemidji State University, Saint Cloud State University, Winona State University, and Minnesota State University-Mankato. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Southwest Minnesota State University hard to get into?
Southwest Minnesota State University admitted 62% of its 1,672 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is moderately selective. 8 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Southwest Minnesota State University alternatives cost less?
3 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Southwest Minnesota State University ($16,501 a year), including Minot State University ($11,490), Saint Cloud State University ($16,062), and Bemidji State University ($16,327). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
