University of Minnesota Duluth: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Northfield, Minnesota · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective · CDS 2025-2026
University of Minnesota Duluth is a private nonprofit university in Northfield, Minnesota that admits about 52% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $22,752 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Biology, General, Economics and Mathematics, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 83% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 2.6 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Minnesota Duluth is a private institution located in Northfield, Minnesota with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Minnesota Duluth admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 52%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1373 and an ACT composite around 31. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $22,752 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Minnesota Duluth is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of Minnesota Duluth?
University of Minnesota Duluth admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does University of Minnesota Duluth weight in admissions?
University of Minnesota Duluth reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Application essay
- • Class rank
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Level of applicant's interest
- • Standardized test scores
- • First generation status
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Alumni/ae relation
SAT and ACT scores University of Minnesota Duluth typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 620–730, with an EBRW midpoint near 670. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 28–32. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1320 |
| 50th percentile | 1380 |
| 75th percentile | 1440 |
| % submitting SAT | 13% |
| 25th percentile | 28 |
| 50th percentile | 30 |
| 75th percentile | 32 |
| % submitting ACT | 30% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 40% |
| Top 25% of class | 73% |
| Top 50% of class | 94% |
| % submitting class rank | 33% |
How much does University of Minnesota Duluth actually cost?
Published tuition is $56,970 for in-state students and $56,970 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $13,000 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $22,752 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 20% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $65,700 |
| Room and board | $15,000 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $22,752 |
| Application fee | — |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Minnesota Duluth
| Regular deadline | 1/15 |
| Notification date | 10-Mar |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
Will my child graduate from University of Minnesota Duluth?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at University of Minnesota Duluth
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Minnesota Duluth, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Biology, General, Economics and Mathematics. Across all programs, University of Minnesota Duluth confers roughly 544 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Biology, General program report a median income of about $66,856 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Biology, General | 111 | $66,856 |
| Economics | 80 | $81,483 |
| Mathematics | 75 | $85,214 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 75 | — |
| Political Science and Government | 67 | $65,865 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 50 | $50,310 |
| Music | 47 | $51,102 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 39 | $43,251 |
Is University of Minnesota Duluth safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Minnesota Duluth disclosed 8 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 8 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at University of Minnesota Duluth?
About 97% of undergraduates at University of Minnesota Duluth live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 0% of men join a fraternity and 0% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Minnesota parents ask about
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities77% acceptance
- University of St Thomas85% acceptance
- Carleton College22% acceptance
- Macalester College28% acceptance
- University of Minnesota-Morris77% acceptance
- Minneapolis Community and Technical College90% acceptance
- St Olaf College94% acceptance
- Gustavus Adolphus College70% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Minnesota Duluth
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Minnesota Duluth recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of Minnesota Duluth
What GPA do I need for University of Minnesota Duluth?
University of Minnesota Duluth admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Minnesota Duluth typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 620–730, with an EBRW midpoint near 670. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 28–32.
How much does University of Minnesota Duluth actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Minnesota Duluth after grants and scholarships is $22,752 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of Minnesota Duluth realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of Minnesota Duluth is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Minnesota Duluth?
University of Minnesota Duluth accepts about 52% of applicants out of roughly 7,310 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is University of Minnesota Duluth test-optional?
Yes. University of Minnesota Duluth is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at University of Minnesota Duluth?
About 83% of students at University of Minnesota Duluth graduate within six years. 94% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of Minnesota Duluth look for in applicants?
University of Minnesota Duluth rates course rigor, GPA and the application essay as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of Minnesota Duluth a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Minnesota Duluth is a private nonprofit institution located in Northfield, Minnesota.
What are the most popular majors at University of Minnesota Duluth?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Minnesota Duluth by annual graduates are Biology, General, Economics and Mathematics. The school awards about 544 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Minnesota Duluth safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Minnesota Duluth reported 8 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 2.6 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at University of Minnesota Duluth?
At University of Minnesota Duluth, 97% of undergraduates live on campus, 0% of men are in fraternities, 0% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by University of Minnesota Duluth, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.