29 Best Political Science schools in Minnesota

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Minnesota ranked based on their research performance in Political Science. A graph of 3.72M citations received by 101K academic papers made by 29 universities in Minnesota was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis

For Political Science

#18 in the United States

#20 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 81%

2. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

Rochester

For Political Science

#104 in the United States

#123 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Net Price: $12,328
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $2,018

3. University of St Thomas - Minnesota

Saint Paul

For Political Science

#333 in the United States

#375 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1342
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $31,250

4. Macalester College

Saint Paul

For Political Science

#350 in the United States

#395 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1430
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $40,225

5. Saint Cloud State University

St. Cloud

For Political Science

#374 in the United States

#419 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1143
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 87%

6. Walden University

Minneapolis

For Political Science

#393 in the United States

#439 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $34,282
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $1,076

7. Carleton College

Northfield

For Political Science

#411 in the United States

#458 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $28,047

8. Minnesota State University - Mankato

Mankato

For Political Science

#419 in the United States

#466 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $5,325

9. Augsburg University

Minneapolis

For Political Science

#421 in the United States

#468 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Net Price: $24,561
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $37,850

10. St Catherine University

Saint Paul

For Political Science

#465 in the United States

#514 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 995
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $20,918

11. Southwest Minnesota State University

Marshall

For Political Science

#501 in the United States

#554 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $8,674

12. Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Saint Paul

For Political Science

#570 in the United States

#627 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 1,163
Male:Female: 34:66
Founded: 2015

13. St Olaf College

Northfield

For Political Science

#575 in the United States

#633 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1385
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $26,756

14. Hamline University

Saint Paul

For Political Science

#621 in the United States

#680 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1262
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $22,390

15. Winona State University

Winona

For Political Science

#625 in the United States

#686 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $5,375
Enrollment: 6,045

16. Capella University

Minneapolis

For Political Science

#685 in the United States

#749 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $17,199
Receiving Aid: 72%
Average Aid: $5,621

17. Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter

For Political Science

#701 in the United States

#765 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $26,094
Receiving Aid: 100%

18. Concordia University - Saint Paul

Saint Paul

For Political Science

#747 in the United States

#816 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Net Price: $18,028
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $19,494

19. Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul

For Political Science

#754 in the United States

#823 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $8,538

20. College of Saint Benedict

Saint Joseph

For Political Science

#760 in the United States

#829 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1141
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $28,400

21. Bethel University - Minnesota

Saint Paul

For Political Science

#770 in the United States

#839 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $31,738

22. Minnesota State University Moorhead

Moorhead

For Political Science

#781 in the United States

#851 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $6,446

23. Bemidji State University

Bemidji

For Political Science

#979 in the United States

#1051 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $7,904

24. College of Saint Scholastica

Duluth

For Political Science

#1047 in the United States

#1123 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $26,083
Receiving Aid: 100%

25. Concordia College at Moorhead

Moorhead

For Political Science

#1136 in the United States

#1213 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $25,190
Receiving Aid: 100%

26. Luther Seminary

Saint Paul

For Political Science

#1185 in the United States

#1262 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 371
Male:Female: 43:57

27. Crown College

Saint Bonifacius

For Political Science

#1278 in the United States

#1357 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Net Price: $27,332
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $19,226

28. Northwestern Health Sciences University

Bloomington

For Political Science

#1342 in the United States

#1423 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $36,272
Receiving Aid: 50%
Average Aid: $3,591

29. Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Minneapolis

For Political Science

#1614 in the United States

#1704 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $30,305

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Wisconsin	34	16
Iowa	31	49
South Dakota	9	338
North Dakota	8	229
Michigan	43	2
Nebraska	13	83
Illinois	78	9
Missouri	40	43
Kansas	17	68
Indiana	35	39
Ohio	63	19
Kentucky	28	63
Oklahoma	20	92
Colorado	22	57
Montana	8	202
Arkansas	17	130
Tennessee	37	46
West Virginia	17	123
Pennsylvania	101	8
Mississippi	14	178
New York	139	5
Virginia	42	32
Idaho	7	240
District of Columbia	12	41
Utah	11	50
Alabama	26	97
Maryland	28	13
North Carolina	47	20
Louisiana	26	84
New Mexico	8	105
Vermont	11	129
Delaware	4	86
Georgia	50	45
New Jersey	28	21
South Carolina	31	61
Texas	82	22
Connecticut	21	7
New Hampshire	12	75
Massachusetts	71	1
Rhode Island	9	66
Maine	14	227
Arizona	10	24
Washington	32	6
Nevada	6	133
Oregon	19	106
Florida	64	34
California	133	3
Alaska	4	331
Puerto Rico	13	527
Hawaii	7	113