Best Computer programs in Minnesota, ranked by enrollment
Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors.
44 schools in Minnesota run programs that feed this job, graduating 2,942 people a year. The job pays a median of $135,850 in Minnesota across about 30 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Minnesota that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
13 programs in Minnesota that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Minnesota (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Minnesota page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Sciencemain feeder CIP 11.0701In Minnesota → | 1,705 | 58.0% | 32 | $70,374 | $23,250 |
| 2 | Information Technologymain feeder CIP 11.0103In Minnesota → | 423 | 14.4% | 8 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 3 | Computer and Information Sciences, Generalmain feeder CIP 11.0101In Minnesota → | 275 | 9.3% | 6 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 4 | CIP 51.2706In Minnesota → | 275 | 9.3% | 6 | $47,775 | $25,000 |
| 5 | CIP 30.7001In Minnesota → | 101 | 3.4% | 8 | — | — |
| 6 | Information Science/Studiesmain feeder CIP 11.0401In Minnesota → | 100 | 3.4% | 10 | $57,313 | $25,833 |
| 7 | Artificial Intelligencemain feeder CIP 11.0102In Minnesota → | 24 | 0.8% | 3 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 8 | CIP 30.3101In Minnesota → | 11 | 0.4% | 1 | $57,986 | $25,812 |
| 9 | CIP 11.0902In Minnesota → | 8 | 0.3% | 1 | $43,901 | $22,822 |
| 10 | CIP 26.1103In Minnesota → | 7 | 0.2% | 1 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 11 | CIP 30.7099In Minnesota → | 7 | 0.2% | 1 | — | — |
| 12 | CIP 11.0804In Minnesota → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
| 13 | Computer and Information Sciences, Othermain feeder CIP 11.0199In Minnesota → | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
Top 25 schools in Minnesota
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 20 of the 44 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public · 6 feeder programs | 843 | Computer Science | $82,861 | 85% | — | 80% |
| 2 | Capella University Minneapolis, MN Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 335 | Medical Informatics | — | 20% | $19,369 | — |
| 3 | Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN Public · 4 feeder programs | 236 | Computer Science | $72,865 | 44% | — | 99% |
| 4 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN Public · 3 feeder programs | 135 | Information Technology | $71,742 | 54% | — | 88% |
| 5 | University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 118 | Computer Science | $73,224 | 65% | — | 89% |
| 6 | Walden University Minneapolis, MN Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 113 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $77,690 | — | — | — |
| 7 | University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 109 | Information Technology | — | 76% | $28,888 | 85% |
| 8 | Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 105 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $39,833 | 64% | $17,453 | — |
| 9 | Carleton College Northfield, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 93 | Computer Science | $88,132 | 90% | $18,669 | 20% |
| 10 | Normandale Community College Bloomington, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 81 | Computer Science | — | 27% | — | — |
| 11 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 56 | Computer Science | $63,287 | 40% | — | 95% |
| 12 | Winona State University Winona, MN Public · 3 feeder programs | 55 | Computer Science | $65,817 | 57% | — | 75% |
| 13 | North Hennepin Community College Brooklyn Park, MN Public · 2 feeder programs | 47 | Computer Science | — | 22% | — | — |
| 14 | The College of Saint Scholastica Duluth, MN Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 42 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $60,845 | 71% | $21,150 | 93% |
| 15 | Rasmussen University - Minnesota St. Cloud, MN Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 41 | Computer Science | $53,832 | 53% | $19,944 | — |
| 16 | Macalester College Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 39 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $81,964 | 87% | $21,441 | 29% |
| 17 | Rochester Community and Technical College Rochester, MN Public · 2 feeder programs | 36 | Computer Science | — | 29% | — | — |
| 18 | Century College White Bear Lake, MN Public · 2 feeder programs | 35 | Computer Science | — | 31% | — | — |
| 19 | Augsburg University Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 34 | Computer Science | $63,065 | 52% | $23,585 | 82% |
| 20 | Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 34 | Information Technology | — | 20% | — | — |
| 21 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 33 | Artificial Intelligence | — | 66% | $18,163 | 93% |
| 22 | Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 30 | Computer Science | — | 77% | $21,607 | 61% |
| 23 | Concordia University - Saint Paul Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 28 | Computer Science | $72,875 | 46% | $17,328 | 79% |
| 24 | Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN Public · 2 feeder programs | 26 | Computer Science | — | 57% | — | 59% |
| 25 | Saint Johns University Collegeville, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 23 | Computer Science | $69,964 | 75% | $19,900 | 91% |
All 44 schools in Minnesota
Every school in Minnesota with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | Minneapolis | Public | 843 | 6 |
| Capella University | Minneapolis | Private for-profit | 335 | 3 |
| Metropolitan State University | Saint Paul | Public | 236 | 4 |
| Minnesota State University - Mankato | Mankato | Public | 135 | 3 |
| University of Minnesota - Duluth | Duluth | Public | 118 | 1 |
| Walden University | Minneapolis | Private for-profit | 113 | 2 |
| University of St Thomas | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 109 | 5 |
| Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center | Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit | 105 | 1 |
| Carleton College | Northfield | Private not-for-profit | 93 | 1 |
| Normandale Community College | Bloomington | Public | 81 | 1 |
| Saint Cloud State University | Saint Cloud | Public | 56 | 1 |
| Winona State University | Winona | Public | 55 | 3 |
| North Hennepin Community College | Brooklyn Park | Public | 47 | 2 |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | Duluth | Private not-for-profit | 42 | 4 |
| Rasmussen University - Minnesota | St. Cloud | Private for-profit | 41 | 2 |
What computer and information research scientists earn in Minnesota
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $140,300. Minnesota pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Minnesota
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Computer and Information Research Scientists page.
How to become a Computer
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Minnesota
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 15 majors mapped to Computer and Information Research Scientists14 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 11.0101Computer and Information Sciences, General
- 11.0102Artificial Intelligence
- 11.0103Information Technology
- 11.0104Informatics
- 11.0199Computer and Information Sciences, Other
- 11.0401Information Science/Studies
- 11.0701Computer Science
- 11.0804Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation
- 11.0902Cloud Computing
- 26.1103Bioinformatics
- 30.3101Human Computer Interaction
- 30.7001Data Science, General
- 30.7099Data Science, Other
- 40.0512Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics(no graduates reported)
- 51.2706Medical Informatics
Common questions
Answers for people weighing computer and information research scientists programs in Minnesota.
What degree do you need to become a Computer?+
Master's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Computer Science, which awarded 1,705 degrees in Minnesota in 2024-25, 58.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Computer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 13 programs to this occupation. The largest are Computer Science, Computer and Information Sciences, Medical Illustration and Informatics, Data Science, plus 5 more. Together they graduate about 2,942 people a year in Minnesota.
How much do computer and information research scientists earn in Minnesota?+
The median is $135,850 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 3.2% below the U.S. median of $140,300. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for computer and information research scientists growing?+
BLS projects a +19.7% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 3,200 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Minnesota?+
44 institutions in Minnesota reported graduates from at least one of the 13 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do computer and information research scientists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Computer Scientist, Research Scientist, Computer Specialist, Control System Computer Scientist among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 15-1221.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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