St. Cloud State Climbs in U.S. News Rankings, Earns National Recognition for Top Programs

(KNSI) – St. Cloud State University has been recognized in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Colleges Rankings, climbing three spots from the previous year and earning national recognition across multiple programs.

St. Cloud State’s rankings in the 2026 edition place it 33rd among top public universities in the Midwest. The rankings evaluated more than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities across four regions. The school finished 95th overall when factoring in private school options.

SCSU was national ranked for its engineering, nursing, computer science, and psychology degrees. The university touts a 95% of its graduates find careers in their fields within one year. Six years after earning a degree, the median salary for SCSU graduates is $47,200.

U.S. News highlighted a handful of programs, including the nursing program, which is ranked as the best in Minnesota, and the Offerdahl Autism Discovery Center, which provides individualized services while training future practitioners through hands-on coursework. The Herberger School of Business stands as one of only seven Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited campuses in Minnesota.

The school was founded in 1869 as a teachers’ college and continues to prepare Minnesota’s educators. The program boasts a 97% employment rate for graduates within one year.

SCSU has a total enrollment of 10,200 as of fall 2024 and a 20-to-one student-faculty ratio.

St. Cloud State wasn’t the only school getting high marks. Other top-performing colleges include the University of Minnesota Duluth at number five, Winona State in 7th place, Minnesota State University Moorhead in 12th place, Minnesota State University Mankato at 15th, and Bemidji State University at 23rd.

Check out the rankings for yourself by clicking here.

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