Hamline University

Private · Moderately Selective · MN

Photo: McGhiever (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationMN · Midwest

SettingUrban

Undergrads1,776

Student:faculty14:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate50.4%

6-yr grad rate60.5%

Drop-out rate21.8%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$50k

Out-of-state tuition$50k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity44.6%

Gender diversity64%

International0.4%

IdentityUnited Methodist

Overview

Hamline University, founded by Methodists in 1854, holds the distinction of being Minnesota's first university. It occupies a residential campus in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood, between St. Paul and Minneapolis, and has built an identity around small classes and a civic and pre-professional bent typical of Twin Cities liberal arts institutions.

Academics

Education is a long-standing strength, and Hamline's legal-studies pipeline benefits from a former affiliation with what is now Mitchell Hamline School of Law, giving pre-law students unusual proximity to legal education. Creative writing is another notable program, supported by the Twin Cities' active literary scene, and debate and mock trial have a strong competitive tradition at Hamline.

Campus & student life

The Midway campus sits between St. Paul and Minneapolis, giving students access to both downtowns and the broader Twin Cities cultural and internship scene. The campus itself is compact and residential, with most undergraduates living on or near it. Athletics compete at the Division III level.

Getting in

Hamline's review is holistic, with essays and a genuine sense of fit for its civic-minded, small-class culture. The university has a history of active merit aid to compete for students who might otherwise attend larger Twin Cities or Big Ten institutions.

After graduation

Education graduates place well into Minnesota schools, and the legal-studies pipeline sends a steady stream of graduates on to law school, aided by the historic law-school connection. Debate and mock-trial alumni frequently move into law, policy, and communications careers.

Worth knowing

The historic tie to Hamline's former law school, now merged into Mitchell Hamline School of Law, is a legacy strength for pre-law students even though the law school is now a separate institution. The debate and mock trial programs carry real prestige within their competitive circuits.

hamline.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate87.6%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1133–1391 · ACT 19–28

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying