Minnesota has missed an important college graduation goal
The following column originally appeared in a number of APG of East Central Minnesota newspapers during December, 2025. This includes the Aitkin Independent, Dakota Country Tribune, Faribault Daily News, Mille Lacs Messenger, Press & News, Sun Current, Sun Post, Sun Sailor and Sun this Week.
Minnesota has missed an important college graduation goal
Most of us – for very good reasons – want our children and grandchildren to earn some form of postsecondary certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree. We’re right. Minnesotans who do so enjoy many benefits. As the Minnesota Office of Higher Education explains, earning some form of certificate or degree “correlates with increased earnings, lower unemployment, better health, and other social and economic benefits.”
Along with degrees, certificates are available in many fields including cybersecurity, trades and emergency medicine technician.
Recognizing the value of postsecondary credentials, the 2015 Minnesota Legislature approved an important goal: By 2025, it wanted at least 70% of young Minnesotans ages 25-44 to have earned a postsecondary certificate or degree. Legislators also adopted the goal for a number of subgroups “in recognition of existing gaps.”
However, a report released by the MOHE in November 2025 shows that not a single group has achieved this goal – American Indian, Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino or white. While each group has made progress, large gaps remain, and in several cases, gaps have grown.
This chart appears in the Minnesota Office of Higher Education 2025 Attainment Goal Report
Some might argue the state hasn’t spent enough money on scholarships. Others report a growing skepticism about the value of postsecondary degrees, though this goal included certificates that can be earned in one year or less, not just associate and bachelor’s degrees.
But Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development data confirms the economic benefits of earning some form of postsecondary credential. On Dec. 9, Angelina Nguyen, DEED’s labor market information director, wrote to me that “80% of jobs in Minnesota that require at least a postsecondary certificate pay at or above average hourly wage ($33.56/hour). If we use average annual wage ($69,822/year), then 81% of jobs that require at least a postsecondary certificate pay at or above average salary.”
MOHE Commissioner Dennis Olson and I discussed this on Nov. 25. He agreed that gaps in postsecondary attainment of 30-40% remain between white and American Indian, Black Hispanic/Latino young Minnesotans representing two races. Gaps actually have increased between whites and all of those groups except American Indians, though there’s still a 40% gap between white and American Indians.
Olson cited a number of MOHE steps toward this goal, including helping convince legislators to adopt the North Star Promise. This provides free tuition at public colleges and universities for anyone whose family earns less than $80,000 annually.
Thousands have started using this. Another recent initiative informs high school seniors which public colleges and universities will accept them based on their academic records.
Nevertheless, MOHE reports that more than 99,000 certificates or degrees will need to be earned, to reach the goal.
Here are several things that research and experience suggest need to be done:
• Increase awareness that the goal exists. I talked with active members of Kiwanis, Optimist and Rotary clubs in Bloomington, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, Richfield and St Paul, that often give scholarships. None had heard of the attainment goal. For example, John Tillotson, a leader at the St Paul Optimist Club – which has awarded more than $700,000 in scholarships to students – was surprised to learn about the goal.
• More heavily promote ways for high school students to earn free college credit, including a postsecondary certificate or even an associate degree prior to high school graduation. Information should be available via video, and in several languages.
• Publish data on the MOHE website regarding the graduation and transfer rates of various Minnesota colleges and universities. Some years ago, MOHE published individual rates – but no more. For example, I googled “students right to know” for 10 Minnesota colleges and found that the three-year graduation rate of first-time, full-time students at Minnesota public colleges varied from 16% to 58%.
This is NOT the only data that students should use in selecting a college or university. Students sometimes take jobs before graduating, switch from full-time to part-time, or encounter unexpected family or financial issues. But “students right to know” data should be available in one place. MOHE’s website seems like the right place.
• Recognize that institutional missions vary, but national research shows that financial incentives for higher graduation rates can help. Incentives can encourage institutions to invest money in advising and instruction and less in administration.
As Tillotson concluded: “More successful young Minnesotans means a more successful Minnesota.”
Joe Nathan, PhD, formerly was a Minnesota K-16 public school educator, researcher and PTA president. He founded and directed Center for School Change, now known as Catalyst for Systems Change. Reactions welcome, joe@