Best Online Elementary Education Programs in Austin, MN (2026)

Austin, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering elementary education programs, with tuition ranging from $6,653 to $41,013 per year for indexed programs. Austin has a population of about 26,167. Median household income is $66,488 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning elementary education-related role is Secondary School Teacher at a median $76,460 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Elementary Education Schools to Austin

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer elementary education programs near Austin, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Austin 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 Austin. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 60.5 miles from Austin BOC Score 58.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Bethany Lutheran College

Mankato, MN 61.1 miles from Austin BOC Score 39.2
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 39%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,110
Avg net price $20,148/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,360
Out‑of‑state$31,360
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN 68.8 miles from Austin BOC Score 71.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,170
Avg net price $11,704/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Winona State University

Winona, MN 71.3 miles from Austin BOC Score 66.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,532
Avg net price $17,503/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Martin Luther College

New Ulm, MN 86.3 miles from Austin BOC Score 64.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 87%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,491
Avg net price $18,463/yr
Tuition
In‑state$18,120
Out‑of‑state$18,120
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

St Catherine University

Saint Paul, MN 87.3 miles from Austin BOC Score 61.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Bethel University

Saint Paul, MN 88.5 miles from Austin BOC Score 68.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,764
Avg net price $28,556/yr
Tuition
In‑state$44,226
Out‑of‑state$44,226
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of St Thomas

Saint Paul, MN 88.5 miles from Austin BOC Score 73.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Elementary Education Wages Near Austin

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Elementary School Teacher$76,350
Middle School Teacher$62,640
Secondary School Teacher$76,460
Teaching Assistant$40,100

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.


Austin at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,167Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,488Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Austin-Area Cities With Elementary Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited elementary education schools are near Austin, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering elementary education programs near Austin. The closest is North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, IA (36.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Luther College (63.8 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying elementary education roles in Minnesota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying elementary education-related roles in Minnesota are: Secondary School Teacher ($76,460), Elementary School Teacher ($76,350), Middle School Teacher ($62,640). Wages for Austin workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Owatonna instead of Austin?

Owatonna, MN is 31.7 miles from Austin and has its own set of local elementary education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Austin an affordable place to study elementary education?

Austin’s median household income of $66,488 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Austin 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 Elementary Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Austin

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

Data verified: July 30, 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.