Rochester Community and Technical College vs. Ridgewater College

Should I go to Rochester Community and Technical College or Ridgewater College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Rochester Community and Technical College or Ridgewater College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Rochester Community and Technical College vs. Ridgewater College comparison
Rochester Community and Technical College Ridgewater College College 3 College 4
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Rochester Community and Technical College Ridgewater College
Location Rochester, MN Willmar, MN
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 4,482 2,904
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rctc.edu ridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rochester Community and Technical College Ridgewater College
Tuition (In State) $5,053 $5,473
Tuition (Out of State) $5,053 $5,473
Room & Board $7,200 $7,720
Avg Net Price $12,971 $10,225
Avg Grant Aid $5,965 $6,935
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 74%

Admission

 Rochester Community and Technical College Ridgewater College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 Rochester Community and Technical College Ridgewater College
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (34%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (33%)
  • Construction Trades (7%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (19%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Agriculture (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (7%)

Outcomes

 Rochester Community and Technical College Ridgewater College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 $35,200
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,142 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $146 $124

Diversity

 Rochester Community and Technical College Ridgewater College
% Men 37% 37%
% Women 63% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 84%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Rochester Community and Technical College Ridgewater College
% In-State 93% 94%
% Out-of-State 7% 6%

Campus

 Rochester Community and Technical College Ridgewater College
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rochester Community and Technical College is larger than than Ridgewater College based on total student enrollment (4,482 students vs. 2,904 students)

Rochester Community and Technical College vs. Ridgewater College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rochester Community and Technical College or Ridgewater College?

  • Ridgewater College is 8.3% more expensive to attend than Rochester Community and Technical College for in-state tuition ($5,473.00 vs. $5,053.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.3% higher at Ridgewater College than Rochester Community and Technical College ($5,473.00 vs. $5,053.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ridgewater College than Rochester Community and Technical College ($10,225 vs. $12,971)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Community and Technical College are 7.2% lower than costs at Ridgewater College ($7,200 vs. $7,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ridgewater College than Rochester Community and Technical College (74% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ridgewater College students is 16.3% larger than aid received Rochester Community and Technical College ($6,935 vs. $5,965)

Which college is harder to get into, Rochester Community and Technical College or Ridgewater College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Ridgewater College or Rochester Community and Technical College .

Rochester Community and Technical College vs. Ridgewater College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rochester Community and Technical College or Ridgewater College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Ridgewater College and Rochester Community and Technical College.

  • Graduates from Rochester Community and Technical College earn on average $3,100 more per year than Ridgewater College graduates after ten years. ($38,300 vs. $35,200)
  • Ridgewater College students graduate with a $2,142 lower median federal student loan debt than Rochester Community and Technical College graduates. ($12,000 vs. $14,142)
  • Ridgewater College graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Rochester Community and Technical College graduates. ($124 vs. $146)
  • More Ridgewater College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rochester Community and Technical College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/