Best Innovation Schools Near Saint Cloud, MN (2026)

Saint Cloud, Minnesota has 20 accredited schools offering innovation programs, with tuition ranging from $5,061 to $45,484 per year for indexed programs. Saint Cloud has a population of about 69,926. Median household income is $61,112 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the St. Cloud, MN metro area, the top-earning innovation-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $142,510 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Innovation Schools to Saint Cloud

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

#1

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN 1.4 miles from Saint Cloud BOC Score 54.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,813
Avg net price $13,529/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Innovation Wages Near Saint Cloud

Saint Cloud is part of the St. Cloud, MN metro area (BLS area code 41060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Manager$89,700St. Cloud, MN$102,397
Management Analyst$94,590St. Cloud, MN$107,979
Marketing Manager$134,650St. Cloud, MN$153,710
Computer and Information Systems Manager$142,510St. Cloud, MN$162,683

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.


Saint Cloud at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population69,926Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,112Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)87.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Saint Cloud-Area Cities With Innovation Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited innovation schools are near Saint Cloud, MN?

Our directory has 20 accredited schools offering innovation programs near Saint Cloud. The closest is Saint Cloud State University in Saint Cloud, MN (1.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Minneapolis College of Art and Design (59.1 miles). 10 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying innovation roles near Saint Cloud?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying innovation-related roles near Saint Cloud are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($142,510), Marketing Manager ($134,650), Management Analyst ($94,590). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Monticello instead of Saint Cloud?

Monticello, MN is 24.4 miles from Saint Cloud and has its own set of local innovation programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Saint Cloud an affordable place to study innovation?

Saint Cloud’s median household income of $61,112 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Saint Cloud 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 Innovation Programs

Other Programs Available in Saint Cloud

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

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.