What Kind of School It Is and Where It Stands
Let us start with the basics, because the basics change everything else. University of Minnesota-Morris is a public, four-year institution. Carnegie, the system that classifies colleges and universities in this country, describes it as a baccalaureate college focused on arts and sciences: small, four-year, and highly residential. That last term has a precise meaning. At the time of that classification, at least half of degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-owned or institution-affiliated housing, and at least 80 out of every 100 attended full time. According to Carnegie, this is a campus where students live, not just one where they take classes.
That matters because the cost of living there almost never appears next to tuition in the first brochure you see. Ask for it separately, including the meal plan, before comparing this school with any other one you are considering.
The highest level it reports offering is the bachelor's degree. This is an institutional fact, not a promise about the specific major your child wants: verify that the program exists and the level at which it is offered before assuming anything.
University of Minnesota-Morris is in the town of Morris, within Stevens County, in a setting classified as remote, far from any large urban area. If your family does not live nearby, this means one concrete thing: calculate separately where your child would live, how your child would get to campus, and how often your child could travel back and forth. The census code locates the school's address; it does not locate your family or measure the actual distance between you.
One note worth stating up front because many families look for it first: this university is not listed as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. That does not say which students it serves well or how your child would feel there. You find that out by asking what cultural centers exist today, what student organizations are active, and by speaking with someone who already studies there.
The Size of the Community and Who Is in It
University of Minnesota-Morris had 1,020 students enrolled in the official fall count. It is medium-sized within its category, but compared with similar selective public schools, it is among the smallest: at least nine out of ten of those schools have more students. All 1,020 were undergraduates; no graduate enrollment was recorded that fall.
Being small does not guarantee more attention for your child, just as being large does not guarantee more options. What matters is asking about the specific major, not the school as a whole.
And who makes up that community? Of the undergraduate students reported in fall 2023, 8 out of every 100 are Hispanic or Latino. It is a small minority, and compared with similar selective public schools, it falls below the midpoint of the group. Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, nor would having many make it good on its own: it is simply who is enrolled today. If your child will be one of the few, ask what groups and support services exist, and speak with a Latino student there before deciding.
The rest of the picture: there are almost no adults older than 25 years old—only 4 out of every 100—and the campus is nearly evenly divided between men and women, with 54 out of every 100 students being women. Three out of four first-time students came from the same state of Minnesota. Overall, it is a predominantly local, young, and full-time community.
How the Academic Year Works and How Broad the Offerings Are
University of Minnesota-Morris follows a semester calendar: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The university stated that it accepts prior credit through two routes: AP exams and what IPEDS calls credit for life experience—independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses or certifications, and military or professional opportunities. It also reports accepting credit for military training and enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Stating that it accepts AP does not mean it will grant credit for every exam. It does not say what score is required or whether those credits count toward your child's specific major. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling, and do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for degree offerings: in the most recent year it reports, University of Minnesota-Morris awarded 226 bachelor's degrees across 19 fields of study families (CIP). The awards are broadly distributed: no single family accounts for a large share. The largest, biological and biomedical sciences, represented only 13 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. Compared with similar selective public schools, it is in the bottom quarter for the total number of degrees awarded annually. Nineteen families appearing in the report do not mean nineteen guaranteed majors or nineteen active programs with students: verify the exact program that interests your child.
Regarding class size, the university reports a ratio of 9 students for every full-time-equivalent instructional staff member. It is one of the lowest ratios among similar schools—three out of four report a higher ratio. But a low ratio does not by itself guarantee small classes: it is an aggregate calculation, not a count of seats in a classroom. Ask directly how many students are in the first-year classes your child would take.
Academic Paths the University Reports Offering
Beyond its catalog of majors, University of Minnesota-Morris reports offering structured academic opportunities: study abroad, preparation for teacher certification below the postsecondary level, the ability to complete preparation in certain teacher-specialization areas at the institution itself, and state approval of its program for initial teacher certification. If your child's calling is teaching or your child is interested in studying outside the country during college, these are concrete questions worth taking to the admissions office.
How Admission Works: Requirements, Selectivity, and the Likelihood of Enrolling
This is where many families feel the most anxiety, so let us proceed carefully and use the exact numbers.
University of Minnesota-Morris does not have open admission. It reviews several elements before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations reported by IPEDS, it marked five as required: the high school transcript, high school GPA, your child's class rank, completion of the college-preparatory coursework required by the university, and an English-proficiency exam when applicable. The personal essay and work experience are not required, but they are considered if submitted.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether the English-proficiency exam applies and what would qualify your child for an exemption. It is marked as required when applicable, and it is the kind of requirement families discover late if they do not ask in time. The published application fee is $35.
Now for the numbers from the 2023 cycle. Of 3,477 first-time applicants, 2,450 were offered admission: 70 out of every 100. It is an accessible rate compared with similar selective public schools—seven out of ten of them, or more, accept a higher percentage. Put another way, seven or eight out of every ten applicants receive a yes. That does not make admission automatic, and it is not a reason to leave the application until the last moment. And keep in mind that this number comes from a single cycle. If there are more applicants when your child's year arrives and the number of available places does not increase, the figure can fall on its own. When the time comes, check the data for that specific year again.
Here is something that surprises many families. Out of every 100 students admitted in 2023, only 11 ultimately enrolled at University of Minnesota-Morris. It is among the lowest enrollment rates at similar schools: nine out of ten of them report a higher percentage. Put another way, of every nine young people who receive an acceptance letter, roughly one ends up enrolling there. Do not read this as a stain on the school—the federal record does not explain why each person chooses what they choose—but do not ignore it either: what others decided does not predict what the school will offer your child. Wait for your child's letter with the exact net price before removing or confirming this school on the list.
One fact that may relieve some pressure: University of Minnesota-Morris reported that it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admission decision, even if you submit them. This designation does not cover scholarships or course placement; ask separately if that applies.
Regarding transfers, there are two different numbers that should not be added together. Of the class that entered in 2017 as full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students, 25 out of every 100 transferred to another school without completing their degree there. That is a substantial share, and compared with similar schools, it falls in the middle of the group. Separately, in fall 2023, only 37 undergraduate students arrived as transfers from another institution. It is worth remembering something almost no one keeps in mind: a student who transfers does not count as a graduate of this school, even if the student completes a degree elsewhere. That matters when we examine the graduation figures later.
The Listed Price and What It May Actually Cost
At University of Minnesota-Morris, among 21 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the official average net price was negative: average scholarship and grant aid exceeded the average cost of attendance by $544. For dependent students, that income band combines their parents' income with their own.
That negative average does not mean every student paid a negative amount or prove that every student received a refund. It means only that, for that group and cycle, average scholarship and grant aid exceeded the average cost of attendance.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students receiving aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional scholarships or grants; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
Financial Aid and Loans: What Others Receive, Not What Your Child Will Receive
92 out of every 100 degree- or certificate-seeking students at University of Minnesota-Morris received some form of scholarship or aid that does not have to be repaid. It is one of the highest shares among similar schools. Among those who received it, the average for the year was $14,758.
The Pell Grant—federal aid for low-income families—reached 32 out of every 100 students. That is less than half of those who receive aid overall, which means much of that aid comes from other sources: federal non-Pell, state, local, or institutional. Ask the financial aid office which specific programs make up that difference and what requirements each one has.
A high number like this is not a promise for your child. It is what happened to other students in a specific year. Ask in writing which applications must be completed, what the deadlines are, and what happens to the scholarship if grades fall.
Regarding loans: 39 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan in the 2022-23 academic year, with an average of $5,518 among those who borrowed. It is a middle-range share compared with similar schools. This number does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes take out, debt owed to banks or credit cards, or the total debt with which a student graduates—that would require adding several years together, and that information is not here. This percentage does not determine which group your child will fall into, with debt or without it; the financial aid letter that arrives at your home does. Wait for that letter before committing to or ruling out the school.
The university also reports offering an installment tuition payment plan and participation in a Promise-type program. It is worth asking the financial aid office directly for details about both.
Campus Life, Athletics, Course Delivery, and Support Services
University of Minnesota-Morris has its own housing, with a reported capacity of 936 students on or off campus. Not all first-time students are required to live there, although that does not rule out the possibility that a specific program may require it. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies according to the plan selected. The existence of housing does not guarantee a place: request the annual rate, application deadline, and whether you are guaranteed a spot or placed on a waiting list in writing.
Regarding ROTC, the university did not mark any opportunity in its most recent report—neither the general category nor any of the three branches—while 926 out of 1,786 four-year institutions did. If your child's plan involves ROTC, this does not automatically close the door: ask admissions directly before ruling it out, because the field shows what was reported, not necessarily everything that exists.
It does compete in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA, with reported participation in football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. This does not say which division each sport competes in or whether a scholarship is available. If athletics are part of the plan, write directly to the coach and request the answer in writing.
Regarding course delivery, it does offer distance education at the undergraduate level, but it is a minority mode—only 2 out of every 100 students take all their courses at a distance. The university reported that it does not offer any complete program that can be taken entirely at a distance. If online study is important to your family, confirm the exact level and major.
The library operates with paid staff, annual expenditures above the threshold tracked by the government, physical and digital materials, and interlibrary lending. The university also reports academic and career counseling services, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, a point of contact for veterans and military service members, and a webpage dedicated to services for students with disabilities.
Persistence and Graduation: What Happens to Those Who Have Already Enrolled
This may be the most important section for understanding the full path, so it is worth reading carefully.
First-to-second-year retention: of the cohort that entered in fall 2022 as full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students, totaling 269 students, 73 out of every 100 were still enrolled there or had already completed their bachelor's degree one year later. This share is slightly below the midpoint of similar schools. The report does not separate how many were still studying from how many had already graduated, nor does it explain what happened to the rest.
Graduation within four and six years: of a cohort of 352 students who started in 2017 as full-time, first-time students, 218 had earned a degree from University of Minnesota-Morris within six years: 62 out of every 100. At four years, the timeframe most families budget for, the figure was 47 out of every 100—fifteen points lower. Compared with similar schools, it is at or above the midpoint of the group.
It is worth looking at the full breakdown of that same cohort of 352 students at the six-year mark: 218 completed their bachelor's degree there; 89 transferred without completing at this school; 1 student remained enrolled without having completed; and 44 fell into the federal category of “no longer enrolled,” which does not explain the reason. Before committing to this university, ask in writing how long the program that interests your child usually takes, how required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if the path extends beyond four years.
At eight years, following a broader cohort of 554 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016—including full-time and part-time, first-time and transfer students—61 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was identical: 61 out of every 100. The fact that the figures match does not mean the path was the same for both groups. Another 13 out of every 100 had an unknown enrollment status at the reporting cutoff: the report simply could not determine whether they remained enrolled anywhere.
What You Already Know and What Only Your Family Can Add
You now know one real piece of the map: how University of Minnesota-Morris admits students, what it costs on paper and what it may actually cost based on family income, how likely an admitted student is to enroll, and what happens to students after they enter, up to eight years later.
None of these figures tells you whether your child should go there. That depends on two pieces this article cannot address: what your child wants to study and has built so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. If you live far from Minnesota, moving and transportation become part of the plan now. If your family income falls below $30,000, it is worth applying and seeing the actual letter before ruling out the listed price. If your child's interests involve ROTC or a fully distance-based education, this school did not report offering them, so asking admissions directly is essential before removing it from or confirming it on the list.
Put this piece together with the other two. From that combination comes a plan that no figure, on its own, can build for you.
Note on sources: the information in this article comes from official data reported by University of Minnesota-Morris to the United States Department of Education's IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), corresponding primarily to the years 2022-23 and 2023-24, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent University of Minnesota-Morris or any government agency; this article organizes and explains public information to help families understand it.