Minnesota State University, Mankato
Minnesota State University, Mankato (MNSU, MSU, or Minnesota State) is a public university in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. It is Minnesota's second-largest university and has over 145,000 living alumni worldwide. Founded in 1868, it is the second-oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and is commonly referred to as the flagship institution. It was established as the Second State Normal School in 1858 and officially opened as Mankato Normal School a decade later. Minnesota State University, Mankato is a significant contributor to the local and state economies, adding $827 million annually.
Former names | Mankato Normal School (1868–1921) Mankato State Teachers College (1921–1957) Mankato State College (1957–1975) Mankato State University (1975-1998) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Big Ideas. Real-world Thinking. |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | 1868 |
Parent institution | Minnesota State system |
| Accreditation | HLC |
| Endowment | $54.1 million (2020) |
| Budget | $264 million (2019) |
| President | Edward Inch |
| Provost | David Hood |
Academic staff | 750 |
Administrative staff | 1,250 |
| Students | 17,357 |
| Undergraduates | 15,527 |
| Postgraduates | 1,830 |
| 30 | |
| Location | , , United States 44.147°N 93.998°W |
| Campus | Mid-size city 303 acres (123 ha) |
| Newspaper | The Reporter |
| Colors | Purple Gold |
| Nickname | Mavericks |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division II – NSIC NCAA Division I - CCHA, WCHA |
| Mascot | Stomper |
| Website | www |
Across seven colleges and schools, Minnesota State offers over 130 undergraduate programs of study, over 80 master's programs, and 4 doctoral programs. It hosts the only nationally, regionally, and state accredited aviation program in Minnesota. Students are served by 750 full-time faculty members, creating a 21:1 student to faculty ratio.
In addition to the main campus, MNSU operates two satellite campuses: one in the Twin Cities suburb Edina and the other in Owatonna. Through the College of Extended Learning, it provides bachelor's degrees online and at the Normandale Partnership Center in Bloomington. In 2023, MNSU partnered with Saint Paul College to launch the Minnesota Polytechnic and Applied Learning Institute (MinnPoly), becoming the first polytechnic institute of Minnesota.
The Minnesota State Mavericks compete in 21 intercollegiate sports, most at the NCAA Division II level in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Its men's and women's ice hockey teams compete at the Division I level, respectively in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) and Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA).