University of Minnesota-Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota · Public · 71.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 84/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Minnesota-Rochester (UMR) is a small public university of about 568 students in downtown Rochester, Minnesota - the home of Mayo Clinic. Founded in 2006 as a health sciences-focused campus, UMR offers a single reported degree track: Health Sciences/Allied Health. Its ROI score of 84 (Strong Value) is driven by compelling metrics: a 61.9% earnings premium, a 5.7-year payback period, $19,500 median debt, and an 81.9% seven-year repayment rate. Average six-year earnings of $46,000 and median ten-year earnings of $69,020 reflect a graduate population that consistently enters healthcare employment in the Rochester corridor. The 57.4% completion rate is the main metric that falls below the school's otherwise strong profile. UMR's singular focus on health sciences fits the local labor market: the city's economy is dominated by Mayo Clinic and its supply chain, and UMR graduates feed directly into that ecosystem.
University of Minnesota-Rochester scores in the top 10% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,016/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $15,016/yr |
| Average net price | $13,744/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $54,976 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $69,020 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $46,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $207 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 57.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 568 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $15,016/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $13,744/year, or roughly $54,976 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $6,116/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,769/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,500, which works out to about $207 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($46,000) and comes to 0.42, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $6,116 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $4,256 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $6,748 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $14,650 |
| $110,001+ | $23,769 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income students (under $30,000) pay $6,116 net - remarkably affordable. Four-year investment approaches $24,500. With average six-year earnings of $46,000 and a 5.7-year payback, low-income UMR graduates in health sciences achieve a full return on investment before their 27th birthday in the median case.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $48,000 band pays $4,256 net. Middle-income families in this bracket who have a student committed to health sciences should consider UMR an exceptional financial opportunity. The combination of low cost, strong earnings, and Mayo Clinic adjacency is difficult to replicate elsewhere.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $23,769 net - a steeper jump that reflects the University of Minnesota's income-based aid structure. Four-year cost approaches $95,000. The Mayo Clinic access and the focused health sciences environment remain compelling differentiators for students who are certain about healthcare careers.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at University of Minnesota-Rochester with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $74,079 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Health Sciences is UMR's only reported program (159 graduates). Graduates earn $53,988 at one year and $74,079 at four years, with $22,115 median debt and a 0.41 ratio (B grade). The broad CIP code encompasses multiple health career tracks, including pre-professional pathways to graduate health programs. The 159-graduate cohort is the entire institution. Graduates who proceed to PA school, medical school, nursing graduate programs, or health administration MBAs from this foundation improve on these already solid outcomes. Rochester's healthcare job density means that even health sciences graduates who enter the workforce directly face an unusually rich employment environment.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 79.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 81.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 78.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 80.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Minnesota-Rochester’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 71.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 490-690 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-690 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-29 |
| Enrollment | 568 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 36.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,587 |
UMR admits 71% of applicants. SAT mid-range is 490 - 690 (math) and 460 - 690 (reading) - a wide range for a health-focused campus, suggesting considerable variation in the applicant pool. ACT composite mid-range is 21 - 29. Students with science preparation and healthcare work or volunteer experience are strongly positioned. Biology, chemistry, and health-related coursework in high school are more predictive of success here than the raw test score.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UMR's ROI score is 84. UMR's differentiation is its Mayo Clinic partnership and single-program focus.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota-Rochester (this school) | 84 | $13,744 | $69,020 |
| University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus | 85 | $10,875 | $73,997 |
| University of New Hampshire at Manchester | 77 | $9,992 | $66,479 |
| Ohio State University-Lima Campus | 68 | $12,940 | $60,409 |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato | 62 | $19,139 | $56,922 |
| Bemidji State University | 60 | $15,261 | $53,755 |
Who Thrives Here
UMR is a near-perfect fit for students committed to health sciences careers who want a small, focused campus in an internationally recognized healthcare city. The Mayo Clinic adjacency provides unmatched clinical exposure, research assistantships, and employer networks. Students who are undecided, interested in liberal arts, or considering non-health professional paths will find UMR's single-program focus limiting. The 71% admission rate is accessible; the real filter is fit with the health sciences curriculum.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, University of Minnesota-Rochester pays off. You'd pay about $13,744 a year after aid ($54,976 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $69,020 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 5.7 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $19,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $46,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of Minnesota-Rochester: Common Questions
Is University of Minnesota-Rochester worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students University of Minnesota-Rochester pays off. It scores 84/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $13,744 a year after aid ($54,976 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $69,020 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 5.7 years to earn back.
How much does University of Minnesota-Rochester cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $13,744 a year, or roughly $54,976 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do University of Minnesota-Rochester graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $69,020 ten years after enrolling, roughly $27,220 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off University of Minnesota-Rochester?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 5.7 years for University of Minnesota-Rochester. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Minnesota-Rochester graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,500, against average earnings of $46,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of Minnesota-Rochester?
The six-year graduation rate is 57.4%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.