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Ridgewater College

Willmar, Minnesota Public 2-year Remote town

Overview

Ridgewater College is a public two-year institution based in Willmar, Minnesota. The campus sits in a remote town. Fall 2024 enrollment was 3,148 students. It is part of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

Ridgewater College offers certificates and associate degrees across 63 programs. Its largest programs by number of graduates are Liberal Arts and Sciences, Registered Nursing, and Electrician. It awarded 816 degrees and certificates in 2024-25. 26 of its programs can be completed entirely online.

The school has an open admission policy. 70% of full-time first-year students return for a second year. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19 to 1.

Key figures

Open
Admission policy
3,148
Students enrolled
70%
First-year retention
816
Degrees and certificates awarded, 2024-25
63
Programs and majors
19:1
Student-to-faculty ratio

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Your details

Delivery modes

CampusOnlineHybrid

Program levels

CertificateAssociate

Programs and majors offered 63

Graduate counts are degrees and certificates awarded in each program between July 2024 and June 2025. Largest fields are listed first.

Liberal Arts and General Studies 1
Health Professions 13
Agriculture and Veterinary Science 10
Construction Trades 3
Engineering Technologies 4
Culinary, Cosmetology and Personal Services 3
Business, Management and Marketing 8
Precision Production 3
Education 6
Mechanic and Repair Technologies 2
Computer and Information Sciences 3
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement and Firefighting 2
Visual and Performing Arts 2
Communication and Journalism 1
Legal Professions and Studies 1
Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Studies 1

Admissions

Admission policy
Open admission

Outcomes

Retention is for students who started in fall 2023 and returned in fall 2024.

First-year retention, full-time students
70%
First-year retention, part-time students
48%
Student-to-faculty ratio
19:1

Degrees and certificates awarded

Awards conferred between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

Associate degrees
490
Certificates under 1 year
76
Certificates of 1 to 2 years
149
Certificates of 2 to 4 years
101

Enrollment

Students, fall 2024
3,148
Undergraduates, fall 2024
3,148
Full-time, fall 2024
48%
Students over the full 2024-25 year
4,070
Full-time, 2024-25
41%
Size category
1,000 to 4,999 students

Student body

Share of all students enrolled during 2024-25. Small groups can round to zero and are not listed.

Women
65%
Men
35%
White
75%
Hispanic or Latino
10%
Black or African American
5%
Asian
1%
Two or more races
3%
International (U.S. nonresident)
1%
Race or ethnicity unknown
5%

Online and flexible learning

Distance education in 2024-25.

Programs that can be completed fully online
26
Online undergraduate programs
Yes
Students studying fully online
51%
Students taking some online courses
30%
Weekend or evening classes
Yes

Campus and services

Setting
Remote town
Academic calendar
Semester
Part of
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
Carnegie classification
Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
Athletic association
NJCAA
President
Craig Johnson
Services and opportunities
Academic and career counseling, Student employment services, Job placement for graduates, Accepts AP credit, Credit for life experience
For veterans and service members
Credit for military training, Dedicated veterans contact

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