Best Chemistry Schools Near Owatonna, MN (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Owatonna, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering chemistry programs, with tuition ranging from $56,076 to $84,893 per year for indexed programs. Owatonna has a population of about 26,462. Median household income is $81,276 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning chemistry-related role is Chemical Engineers at a median $107,670 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Chemistry Schools to Owatonna

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer chemistry programs near Owatonna, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Owatonna city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Owatonna. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

St Olaf College

Northfield, MN 25.7 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
67.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,543
Avg net price $23,874/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Carleton College

Northfield, MN 25.9 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
70.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 20%
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,525
Avg net price $25,407/yr
Tuition
In‑state$68,892
Out‑of‑state$68,892
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 38.3 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,922
Avg net price $19,139/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 142

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, MN 40.1 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
64.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 61%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,607
Avg net price $22,900/yr
Tuition
In‑state$56,076
Out‑of‑state$56,076
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

St Catherine University

Saint Paul, MN 57.6 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,282
Avg net price $19,764/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Macalester College

Saint Paul, MN 58.6 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
63.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,878
Avg net price $32,149/yr
Tuition
In‑state$68,104
Out‑of‑state$68,104
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of St Thomas

Saint Paul, MN 58.9 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,739
Avg net price $29,155/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 109

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Concordia University-Saint Paul

Saint Paul, MN 59.4 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 79%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,871
Avg net price $18,462/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,600
Out‑of‑state$25,600
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Minnesota schools on the Minnesota chemistry page.

Chemistry Wages Near Owatonna

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Chemists $99,280
Biochemists and Biophysicists $81,280
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary $104,380
Chemical Technicians $62,400
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $89,950
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $88,000
Chemical Engineers $107,670
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $76,460

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Owatonna at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 26,462 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $81,276 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 32.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Owatonna-Area Cities With Chemistry Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited chemistry schools are near Owatonna, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering chemistry programs near Owatonna. The closest is St Olaf College in Northfield, MN (25.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Rochester Community and Technical College (40.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying chemistry roles in Minnesota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying chemistry-related roles in Minnesota are: Chemical Engineers ($107,670), Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary ($104,380), Chemists ($99,280). Wages for Owatonna workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Faribault instead of Owatonna?

Faribault, MN is 14.5 miles from Owatonna and has its own set of local chemistry programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Owatonna an affordable place to study chemistry?

Owatonna’s median household income of $81,276 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Owatonna while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Chemistry Programs

Other Programs Available in Owatonna

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Owatonna:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Chemistry Schools in Minnesota: Online Programs (2026)