Why Ridgewater

Explore the many ways Ridgewater provides affordable, student-centered, flexible educational options for diverse learners.

Ridgewater Ranked #1 MN Community College and US Top 20 for both 2020 and 2021

Ridgewater College has received top honors among Minnesota’s best community colleges two years in a row, according to a comprehensive review, 2021 Best Community Colleges in Minnesota, published by www.niche.com.

In addition to top overall honors, Ridgewater received the #2 ranking for both the best value comparison and best academics. The best professors category was close behind at #3.

The statewide ranking is based on rigorous analysis of academic, financial, and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education, along with millions of reviews from students and alumni, states the www.niche.com website.

The evaluation considered nine key indicators for which it graded junior colleges, public technical schools, and all other public two-year colleges: academics, value, professors/faculty, campus facilities, diversity, student life, student experience surveys, local area, and safety.

Ridgewater Selected as an Aspen Prize Top 150 U.S. Community College

We’re excited to announce that Ridgewater College is an Aspen Prize Top 150 U.S. Community College!  The Aspen Prize aims to identify and celebrate excellence among top-performing community colleges, as well as share strategies for improving student success.  Our designation is based on strong and improving student outcomes, which includes learning, completion rates, employment rates and earnings, and equity.

The 150 community colleges named were selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 public two-year colleges nationwide using publicly available data on student outcomes.

Quality

A high-quality education is a top priority at Ridgewater, and we have the accolades to prove it.

• Named by the Aspen Institute as one of the top 120 community colleges in the country, ranking us in the top 10% of all institutions
• Acknowledged as the 41st best community college out of 1,665 community colleges in the nation by Washington Monthly magazine
• Named No. 1 Best Community College in Minnesota for Career Preparedness by ACT
• 96% job placement rate for graduates (class of 2019)
• Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission

Value

Affordable tuition combined with high-quality, student-centered instruction for diverse learners delivers tremendous educational value whether you are working toward a technical degree or getting started on a four-year degree. Save more than $4,000 taking the first two years of your four-year degree at Ridgewater versus going directly to a Minnesota public university. Save tens of thousands by starting at Ridgewater and transferring to a private college.

Atmosphere

Friendly and welcoming campuses offer opportunities to engage in and out of class. Transitioning from high school to college can be easy at Ridgewater at our safe, easy-to-navigate campuses.

Personalized

Small classes and supportive student services staff offer helpful personal attention. All classes are taught by caring college faculty— not teaching assistants. We help you reach your full potential.

Success

Studies show that students who begin at Ridgewater and then transfer to four-year colleges perform as well or better in their junior/senior years than students who begin at four-year colleges.

Academic Options

Taking general education at Ridgewater is a cost-effective way to explore various fields to determine what path is right for you. Choose from more than 100 educational opportunities in liberal arts transfer disciplines and career training.  Online courses and programs are also available.

Flexible Options

Take classes full time or part time, on campus, remotely, fully online, or a hybrid of partially online blended with face-to-face experience. Ridgewater is perfect for individuals who have family or work commitments that make a traditional schedule difficult. You can even complete an entire AA degree, as well as several technical programs, totally online.

Transfer Credits

Ridgewater Associate of Arts (AA) degrees based on the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) are guaranteed to transfer to any public university in Minnesota. Many technical programs also articulate to four-year universities. Work with your advisor to ensure a smooth transition

Hands-On Experience

Learning opportunities and lab experiences allow you to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom. 

Job Placement

Ridgewater has averaged a placement rate of 94 percent over the past five years in our career and technical programs, with many technical programs at 98-100 percent. Learn the skills you need to start a great paying career in two years or less.