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Compare Central Lakes College-Brainerd vs Dakota County Technical College

Brainerd, MN · Rosemount, MN

Central Lakes College-BrainerdDakota County Technical College
Cost
Price after aid (average)$13,869/yr$13,548/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$12,264/yr$9,549/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$11,000$11,000
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$10,454/yr$9,835/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$12,970/yr$12,371/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$15,489/yr$14,517/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$18,686/yr$18,089/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$117/mo$117/mo
Room & board (off campus)$9,459/yr$10,800/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,000/yr$1,200/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$19,543/yr$18,552/yr
Tuition (in-state)$6,249/yr$6,679/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$6,249/yr$6,679/yr
Students with Pell Grants14%27%
Students taking federal loans12%25%
Getting in
SAT/ACT policyOpen admission (everyone qualified gets in)Open admission (everyone qualified gets in)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate53%58%
Freshmen who come back69%74%
Typical earnings 10 years in$42,162/yr$51,938/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$23,264–$61,365$32,416–$73,399
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)43%53%
Typical earnings 6 years in$39,389/yr$46,398/yr
Earn more than a HS grad61%68%
Graduate on time44%52%
First-gen students who finish37%41%
Low-income students who finish28%36%
Students who transfer out13%9.9%
Typical earnings 8 years in$40,383/yr$49,316/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsLiberal Arts & General Studies 35% · Health Professions 18% · Agriculture & Veterinary Science 10%Health Professions 23% · Business, Management & Marketing 20% · Mechanic & Repair Technologies 17%
Most popular programLiberal Arts & General Studies — 35% of degreesHealth Professions — 23% of degrees
2nd most popular programHealth Professions — 18% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 20% of degrees
3rd most popular programAgriculture & Veterinary Science — 10% of degreesMechanic & Repair Technologies — 17% of degrees
4th most popular programTransportation & Materials Moving — 6% of degreesConstruction Trades — 10% of degrees
5th most popular programComputer & Information Sciences — 5% of degreesAgriculture & Veterinary Science — 6% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $68,032/yrElectromechanical Technologies/Technicians — $69,044/yr
Degrees in STEM7.9%7.1%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment1,6142,168
Students per professor20 : 123 : 1
Average professor pay$9,626/mo$9,498/mo
Full-time professors56%39%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byHigher Learning CommissionHigher Learning Commission
Median family income$30,464$39,514
SettingTown (remote)Rural (fringe)
LocationBrainerd, MNRosemount, MN
RegionPlainsPlains
Founded19381970
Public or privatePublicPublic
Main degree offeredAssociate degreesAssociate degrees
Carnegie classificationAssociate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High NontraditionalAssociate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students0.1%0.5%
Men46%57%
Women54%43%
White students82%63%
Black students5.3%11%
Hispanic or Latino students4.1%15%
Asian students0.6%3.3%
Two or more races4.1%5.6%
Other / not reported4.2%2.4%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students32%31%
Part-time students40%36%
Students age 25+12%30%
Spent on teaching per student$7,700/yr$9,163/yr
Endowment$11.0M$2.5M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingNo — no campus housingNo — no campus housing
Meal plan offeredNoNo
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesNo
Undergraduate researchNoNo
ROTCNoNo
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesNoYes
Teacher certificationNoNo
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careYesNo
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesNo
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNJCAA Division IIINJCAA Division II
Football teamYesNo
Varsity teams86
Student athletes124119
Athletic scholarships$0$109,125
Athletics budget$740,361$884,047
Athletics revenue$740,361$889,564
Recruiting spend$0$1,800

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.