Central Lakes College-Brainerd vs. M State

Deciding between Central Lakes College Brainerd and Minnesota State Community and Technical College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Brainerd, MN
  • M State Fergus Falls, MN
  • Setting
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Remote Town
  • M State Remote Town
  • Total enrollment
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 4,981
  • M State 5,645
  • Type
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Public 2 Year
  • M State Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd
  • M State
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd -
  • M State -
  • Status
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Non-profit
  • M State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd
  • M State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd $6,249
  • M State $5,908
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd $6,249
  • M State $5,908
  • Room & Board
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd $9,459
  • M State $8,820
  • Average Net Price
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd $13,691
  • M State $11,802
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd $5,579
  • M State $5,456
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 77%
  • M State 55%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd -
  • M State -
  • Admitted
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd -
  • M State -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Open
  • M State Open
  • Enrolled
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Open
  • M State Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd
  • M State
  • Typical ACT score
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd
  • M State
  • Average High School GPA
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd -
  • M State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd -
  • M State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Unavailable
  • M State Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd
  • M State
  • ACT Range
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd
  • M State
  • SAT Range
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd
  • M State
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Open admission
  • M State Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd
  • M State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 20:1
  • M State 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (35%)
    • Health Professions (25%)
    • Transportation and Materials Moving (6%)
    • (5%)
    • Agriculture (5%)
  • M State
    • Health Professions (32%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
    • Business (14%)
    • Construction Trades (12%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd -
  • M State -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd $35,600
  • M State $37,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 47%
  • M State 52%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd $10,500
  • M State $12,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd $108
  • M State $124

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 42%
  • M State 37%
  • % Women
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 58%
  • M State 63%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Very Low
  • M State Low
  • HBCU
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd No
  • M State No
  • % White
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 86%
  • M State 79%
  • % Asian
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 0%
  • M State 2%
  • % Black
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 4%
  • M State 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 3%
  • M State 5%
  • % Native American
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 2%
  • M State 2%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 0%
  • M State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 4%
  • M State 3%
  • % International
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 0%
  • M State 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 1%
  • M State 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 96%
  • M State 74%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd 4%
  • M State 26%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd No
  • M State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd No
  • M State No
  • Meal Plan
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd No
  • M State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Yes
  • M State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Central Lakes College-Brainerd Yes
  • M State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Central Lakes College Brainerd in Brainerd, MN with Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Fergus Falls, MN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College is larger than Central Lakes College-Brainerd based on total student enrollment (5,645 students vs. 4,981 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Central Lakes College Brainerd is located in Brainerd, MN (Remote Town setting); Minnesota State Community and Technical College is in Fergus Falls, MN (Remote Town setting).
  • Central Lakes College Brainerd is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Minnesota State Community and Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Central Lakes College Brainerd 20:1; Minnesota State Community and Technical College 18:1.

Central Lakes College-Brainerd vs. M State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central Lakes College-Brainerd or M State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minnesota State Community and Technical College than Central Lakes College-Brainerd ($11,802 vs. $13,691).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minnesota State Community and Technical College are 6.8% lower than at Central Lakes College Brainerd ($8,820 vs. $9,459).
  • Central Lakes College Brainerd is 5.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than M State (about $341 more per year; $6,249.00 vs. $5,908.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 5.8% higher at Central Lakes College-Brainerd than at Minnesota State Community and Technical College (about $341 more per year; $6,249.00 vs. $5,908.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Central Lakes College Brainerd than at Minnesota State Community and Technical College (77% vs. 55%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central Lakes College Brainerd students is 2.3% larger than aid received by Minnesota State Community and Technical College students ($5,579 vs. $5,456).

Central Lakes College-Brainerd vs. M State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Central Lakes College-Brainerd or M State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between M State and Central Lakes College-Brainerd.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Central Lakes College-Brainerd - Open admission; M State - Open admission.

Central Lakes College-Brainerd vs. M State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Central Lakes College-Brainerd and M State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Minnesota State Community and Technical College earn a median of about $1,700 more per year than Central Lakes College-Brainerd graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,300 vs. $35,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Central Lakes College Brainerd graduates have a $1,500 lower median loan debt than M State graduates ($10,500 vs. $12,000).
  • Among borrowers, Central Lakes College-Brainerd graduates have an estimated $16 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than M State graduates ($108 vs. $124).
  • More M State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Central Lakes College-Brainerd students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 47%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.