Match #1
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Moorhead, MN
Profile closeness81/100
Admit rate59%
- 3,072 students
- Public
- Suburb: Midsize
- Graduation rate 53%, close to 59%
- Average net price $17,601, close to $17,413
The colleges most similar to Winona State University are Minnesota State University Moorhead, Saint Cloud State University, and Minnesota State University-Mankato. Winona State University admits 75% of applicants and has an average net price of $17,413 a year; 4 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 7 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 Winona 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 Winona State University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN
Profile closeness79/100
Admit rate95%
- 5,088 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Enrollment 5,088 students, close to 5,144
- Average net price $16,062, close to $17,413
Match #3
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Mankato, MN
Profile closeness79/100
Admit rate88%
- 11,703 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 56%, close to 59%
- Average net price $19,702, close to $17,413
Match #4
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, MN
Profile closeness79/100
Admit rate56%
- 3,139 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 51%, close to 59%
- Average net price $16,327, close to $17,413
Match #5
Southwest Minnesota State University
Marshall, MN
Profile closeness75/100
Admit rate62%
- 2,315 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Average net price $16,501, close to $17,413
- Same control type (public)
Match #6
Metropolitan State University-Minnesota
Saint Paul, MN
Profile closeness73/100
Admit rate99%
- 5,616 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Enrollment 5,616 students, close to 5,144
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #7
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Main Campus
Minneapolis, MN
Profile closeness47/100
Admit rate80%
- 31,855 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Average net price $17,330, close to $17,413
- Acceptance rate 80%, close to 75%
Match #8
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate77%
- 9,981 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 61%, close to 59%
- Acceptance rate 77%, close to 75%
Match #9
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate99%
- 5,439 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 60%, close to 59%
- Enrollment 5,439 students, close to 5,144
Match #10
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Rapid City, SD
Profile closeness79/100
Admit rate80%
- 2,071 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 52%, close to 59%
- Acceptance rate 80%, close to 75%
Questions about Winona State University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Winona State University?
The closest matches to Winona State University are Minnesota State University Moorhead, Saint Cloud State University, Minnesota State University-Mankato, Bemidji State University, and Southwest Minnesota State University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Winona State University hard to get into?
Winona State University admitted 75% of its 5,335 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 7 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Winona State University alternatives cost less?
4 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Winona State University ($17,413 a year), including Saint Cloud State University ($16,062), Bemidji State University ($16,327), and Southwest Minnesota State University ($16,501). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
