Of all undergraduate students enrolled at Minnesota Private Colleges, 23 percent are “first-generation” students, meaning that neither of their parents completed college.

Excluding international students, 12,750 students of color and Native American students enroll at our member institutions. The share of domestic undergraduates who are students of color and Native American are:

• 24 percent of all undergrads at Minnesota Private Colleges
• 24 percent of all undergrads at the University of Minnesota
• 21 percent of all undergrads at Minnesota State Universities

Compared to 10 years ago, enrollment of new first-year students of color and Native American students has more than doubled.

The four-year graduation rate of students of color and Native American students is also the highest in the state and higher than the averages for both publics and nonprofits nationwide.

• 56 percent at Minnesota Private Colleges
• 50 percent at University of Minnesota
• 13 percent at Minnesota State universities
• 44 percent at private nonprofit colleges nationwide
• 30 percent at public institutions nationwide

Looking at students of color and Native American students who earn bachelor’s degrees from Minnesota institutions, 29 percent do so at our institutions. And 47 percent of students of color and Native American students who earn master’s degrees in Minnesota do so at our institutions.

At our member institutions, 49 percent of our graduates with bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields are women. That's compared to 37 percent at the University of Minnesota and 34 percent at Minnesota State universities.

More than 1,700 international undergraduate students study at our colleges and universities each year.