Kathy Sanger Campus Executive Director | Rasmussen University-Mankato
Kathy Sanger Campus Executive Director | Rasmussen University-Mankato
Of the three institutions in the county, two provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Bethany Lutheran College and Minnesota State University-Mankato.
At least 11,817 people applied to Blue Earth County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 15,420 students enrolled in the universities, including 13,468 in undergraduate and 1,952 in graduate programs. In total 6.8% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (71.6%) and U.S. nonresident (9.5%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Minnesota State University-Mankato stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 14,590 students.
U.S. college enrollment has been in a downward trend since peaking at around 18.1 million students in 2010. Recent increases offered some relief, but experts project a steeper decline in 2025.
This decline is likely due to two main factors. First, the pool of young adults is shrinking as birth rates have fallen nearly 23% between 2007 and 2022. Second, the rising cost of higher education, including skyrocketing student loan debt. A 2023 Wall Street Journal report shows that more than half of Americans think a four-year degree is not worth the cost.
NCES shows that enrollment data was not available for Rasmussen University-Mankato in Blue Earth County.
Some educational data is based on estimates. Shifting demographics among student populations can sometimes result in gender totals which do not equal 100%.
| Institution | # of Applicants | # of Admitted Students | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasmussen University-Mankato | -- | -- | -- |
| Bethany Lutheran College | 665 | 386 | 830 |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato | 11,152 | 7,918 | 14,590 |
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