Minnesota 'above average' on college graduation

Twenty-two years ago, then Gov. Rudy Perpich caught heaps of flack for referring to Minnesota as the "Brainpower State." He may have been onto something. New Census data shows that Minnesota ranks fourth in college completion rates among adults 25-54 with 49.8 of folks in that bracket having completed college. Our neighbors to the northwest, North Dakota came in a slot ahead of us at #3 with 50.8 percent of their adult population donning college graduation caps.

Author:: BMTN Staff
Publish date:: Jul 28, 2012

Apparently, we're as smart as we think we are. Consistently ranked among the healthiest and best-read states in the nation, new Census data shows that we may also be among the smartest. Minnesota ranks fourth in college completion rates among adults 25-54 with 49.8 of folks in that bracket having completed college. Our neighbors to the northwest, North Dakota came in a slot ahead of us at #3 with 50.8 percent of their adult population donning college graduation caps.

DONTCHA KNOW?

BMTN Newsletters Deliver The Biggest MN Stories

Get Our Newsletter

Gold Cross Ambulance

The 64 year old's cause of death is not yet known.

snow

The Twin Cities is on the edge of the watch box.

snow plow

"Get hit by a winter storm. Breathe. Get hit again. Breathe. Get hit a gain."

Red Wing Police Department

The caller was taken to hospital after claiming their family was being shot.

Jason Day

Jason Day has committed to play in the Fourth of July tournament.

A deputy heard gunshots just before 1 a.m. Sunday.

Chuck & Don's

The pet supply store chain has 45 locations, mostly in the Twin Cities metro.

Screen Shot 2019-02-18 at 11.36.20 AM

The Grand Avenue location will close on Feb. 24.

Screen Shot 2019-02-18 at 10.55.24 AM

This sounds pretty awesome and it's free to watch.

Screen Shot 2019-02-18 at 10.24.23 AM

It has already received more than 1,000 signatures.

Miguel Sano

Sano is down a lot of weight compared to last year at this time.

Screen Shot 2019-02-18 at 9.10.44 AM

William Mendoza is looking for another miracle.

A new survey from PayScale Inc. found Carleton College graduates have the highest median salary of just over $93,000.

The latest numbers show Minnesota students gaining in math and holding steady in reading. But Minnesota education officials say other states are making bigger strides. “We are still ahead of the curve, but that won’t be the case for long if other states continue to gain ground while we simply hold steady," says education commissioner Brenda Cassellius.

The average chief executive officer in Minnesota is making over $1 million once again. The Star Tribune reports that in 2011, the median total pay for Minnesota's 100 highest-paid CEOs jumped by 26 percent to $1.19 million, hitting seven digits for the first time since 2007. Of the top 100 CEOs, 71 got a salary bump last year.

When it comes to average scores on the ACT college entrance exam, high school seniors from the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District are not only topping other districts in the state, but others in the nation. According to new data, students in District 196 on average received a composite score in 2012 of 24.1, as compared to the state average of 22.8 and national average of 21.1.

College students in Minnesota carry the third-highest average loan debt in the nation, at $29,739 per student, according to a new report. And the state ranks No. 5 on a list of graduates who carry student loan debt – 71 percent. Nationwide, about two-thirds of students graduate with debt.

Classes can overwhelm many college students, but Michael Mockler juggled his courses with chemotherapy as he battled brain cancer. The student at Saint Mary's University in Winona is set to graduate today.