Best Associate's Machine Learning Degree Programs in Minnesota
Normandale Community College — Bloomington, MN
Hakia Insight: Normandale's explicit transfer agreements with University of Minnesota systems mean you can earn your associate's at community college prices, then ladder directly into a four-year program without reapplying—a path that cuts both tuition and uncertainty for students unsure about commitment.
At the associate's level, strong transfer agreements with University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Universities make Normandale's machine learning pathway particularly attractive if you're planning a four-year degree. You'll build foundational skills in Python, data analysis, and supervised learning while maintaining flexibility to pivot toward computer science or data science at the university level. The program emphasizes hands-on projects in real datasets, and many students credit Normandale's articulation agreements for seamless transitions into upper-level coursework without losing credits.
Programs Offered
- Associate of Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, on-campus
- Associate of Applied Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, online
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: UnitedHealth Group, Target Corporation, 3M Company.
Top Transfer Destinations
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- St. Cloud State University
Entry-Level Career Paths
- Data Analyst
- Junior Machine Learning Technician
- Business Intelligence Associate
- IT Support Specialist
Included Certifications
- CompTIA A+
- AWS Cloud Practitioner
- Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer
Location Advantages:
Anoka-Ramsey Community College — Coon Rapids, MN
Hakia Insight: Anoka-Ramsey's integration of internship and capstone with local employers (Best Buy, Ecolab, General Mills) means your associate's degree isn't theoretical—you graduate with references from real companies and a portfolio project they built, not just coursework credentials.
At the associate's level, if you want real-world experience before committing to a university, Anoka-Ramsey's machine learning program integrates internship and capstone projects with local tech companies throughout the Twin Cities. You'll work with Python, TensorFlow, and cloud platforms while building a portfolio employers actually look at. Graduates often land roles at mid-size tech firms and startups in the metro area, and the college maintains strong recruiting relationships that can lead directly to employment.
Programs Offered
- Associate of Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, on-campus
- Associate of Applied Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, online
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Best Buy, Ecolab, General Mills.
Top Transfer Destinations
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Winona State University
Entry-Level Career Paths
- Data Analyst
- Machine Learning Associate
- Junior Systems Administrator
- Technical Support Specialist
Included Certifications
- CompTIA A+
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
Location Advantages:
North Hennepin Community College — Brooklyn Park, MN
Hakia Insight: North Hennepin's one-year certificate-to-degree pathway solves the specific problem of four-year university waitlists: you get job-ready in a year, land an entry role, gain two years of paid experience, then return for a bachelor's with employer tuition support—a financial and career arbitrage most students don't consider.
At the associate's level, want to skip the waitlist at four-year universities? North Hennepin's machine learning certificate and degree track gets you job-ready in as little as one year, with the option to stack credentials toward a full AAS. The curriculum focuses on practical skills—SQL, Python, scikit-learn, and cloud platforms—that employers in the Minneapolis area actively recruit for. Evening and weekend sections make it feasible to work while learning.
Programs Offered
- Associate of Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, on-campus
- Associate of Applied Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, online
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Wells Fargo, Allina Health, Hennepin County.
Top Transfer Destinations
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Concordia University - St. Paul
Entry-Level Career Paths
- Junior Data Analyst
- Help Desk Technician
- Business Analyst
- IT Support Specialist
Included Certifications
- CompTIA A+
- AWS Cloud Practitioner
- Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer
Location Advantages:
Rochester Community and Technical College — Rochester, MN
Hakia Insight: Rochester's explicit focus on medical device and healthcare tech (IBM Rochester, Mayo Clinic) fills a niche where most ML programs chase fintech and e-commerce—if you want to work on systems where your algorithms directly impact patient outcomes, this regional specialization offers clarity and employer relationships others lack.
At the associate's level, rochester's machine learning program uniquely serves the regional medical device and healthcare tech industry—think IBM Rochester, Olmsted Medical Center, and surrounding biotech firms actively hiring graduates. You'll study data analytics, Python, and machine learning with specific applications to healthcare datasets and clinical decision support. For students interested in the intersection of healthcare and tech, this regional focus creates direct employment pipelines you won't find in metro colleges.
Programs Offered
- Associate of Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, on-campus
- Associate of Applied Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, online
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: IBM Rochester, Olmsted Medical Center, Mayo Clinic.
Top Transfer Destinations
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Rochester University (local four-year option)
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
Entry-Level Career Paths
- Healthcare Data Analyst
- Medical Device QA Technician
- Clinical IT Support Specialist
- Junior Data Analyst
Included Certifications
- CompTIA A+
- AWS Cloud Practitioner
Location Advantages:
Saint Paul College — Saint Paul, MN
Hakia Insight: Saint Paul College's partnerships with Twin Cities anchor employers—Target, UnitedHealth, 3M—aren't just networking opportunities; they're embedded pathways that convert your associate's degree into immediate internship-to-hire pipelines before you consider transferring.
At the associate's level, saint Paul College's machine learning program deliberately integrates with the college's strong community partnerships in the Twin Cities, giving you access to internships at Fortune 500 companies and local tech startups from day one. The curriculum emphasizes data wrangling, model evaluation, and deployment using industry-standard tools—not just theory. Many graduates transition directly into analyst roles at organizations like Target and UnitedHealth, or pursue bachelor's degrees with advanced standing.
Programs Offered
- Associate of Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, on-campus
- Associate of Applied Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, online
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Target Corporation, UnitedHealth Group, 3M Company.
Top Transfer Destinations
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- St. Cloud State University
Entry-Level Career Paths
- Data Analyst
- Junior Machine Learning Engineer
- Business Intelligence Analyst
- Junior Systems Administrator
Included Certifications
- CompTIA A+
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer
Location Advantages:
Century College — White Bear Lake, MN
Hakia Insight: Century's condensed curriculum (Python, statistics, neural networks, cloud deployment) mirrors the exact skill sequence that Best Buy and Securian Financial Group actually use in hiring, meaning you're not learning generic ML theory but the specific tool stack regional employers are actively deploying.
At the associate's level, accelerate your career with Century's machine learning program, which condenses essential skills—Python, statistics, neural networks, and cloud deployment—into a highly efficient two-year track with multiple exit points for employment. The program is built around real datasets and capstone projects, and Century's location in the east metro connects you with tech employers in the growing White Bear Lake and Maplewood corridors. You can enter the workforce immediately after graduation or transfer with junior status into bachelor's programs.
Programs Offered
- Associate of Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, on-campus
- Associate of Applied Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, online
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Best Buy, Securian Financial Group, 3M Company.
Top Transfer Destinations
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Winona State University
Entry-Level Career Paths
- Data Analyst
- Junior Machine Learning Technician
- IT Support Specialist
- Business Analyst
Included Certifications
- CompTIA A+
- AWS Cloud Practitioner
- Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
Location Advantages:
Inver Hills Community College — Inver Grove Heights, MN
Hakia Insight: Inver Hills' week-one cloud deployment model eliminates the common community college trap—you're shipping real models to production from day one, not sitting through theoretical lectures, which explains why healthcare employers like HealthPartners and Allina actively recruit from this program.
At the associate's level, inver Hills delivers machine learning instruction with a hands-on lab-first approach—you're building models and deploying them to cloud platforms from week one, not watching lectures. The program attracts working professionals and career-switchers who appreciate the evening and weekend flexibility without sacrificing rigor. Graduates commonly transition into data analyst roles at companies throughout the south metro, or continue to four-year institutions with a solid portfolio of completed projects.
Programs Offered
- Associate of Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, on-campus
- Associate of Applied Science in Machine Learning — 2 years, online
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Allina Health, HealthPartners, Minnesota Department of Health.
Top Transfer Destinations
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Hamline University
Entry-Level Career Paths
- Data Analyst
- Junior Machine Learning Associate
- IT Support Specialist
- Help Desk Technician
Included Certifications
- CompTIA A+
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Location Advantages:
Best Bachelor's Machine Learning Degree Programs in Minnesota
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities — Minneapolis, MN
Key Distinction: UMN Twin Cities distinguishes itself through research-first graduate training in machine learning, with mandatory thesis work on funded projects and unique opportunities in medical AI and healthcare applications.
Hakia Insight: UMN Twin Cities' proximity to Mayo Clinic, University of Minnesota Medical School, and the region's healthcare IT infrastructure means your research thesis isn't a capstone exercise—it's likely solving actual medical AI problems with funded faculty, positioning graduates for specialized healthcare ML roles competitors can't access.
At the bachelor's level, UMN Twin Cities operates one of the most research-intensive machine learning ecosystems in the upper Midwest, anchored by faculty conducting cutting-edge work in deep learning, reinforcement learning, and graphical models. The Department of Computer Science and Engineering offers a dedicated MS in Machine Learning as well as PhD pathways, with the master's program structured to serve both students transitioning from industry and those prepping for doctoral research. Graduate students gain immediate access to high-performance computing clusters and collaborate on active NSF and DoD-funded research projects—many MS thesis projects directly contribute to published papers. The curriculum balances foundational theory (optimization, statistical learning, probability) with applied specializations including computer vision, NLP, robotics, and autonomous systems. What makes UMN distinctive is the tight integration between coursework and research; students often move fluidly between classes and lab rotations, discovering their specialization through hands-on engagement rather than abstract selection. The program also benefits from UMN's medical school and engineering programs, creating opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration in healthcare AI, medical imaging, and biomedical applications—rare for most ML programs. Industry connections are robust, with internships and post-grad placements at Microsoft Research, Google Brain, DeepMind, and regional Fortune 500 companies. Twin Cities' growing tech scene, anchored by companies like Target, Best Buy, 3M, and United Healthcare, provides both internship pipelines and potential employer networks for graduates.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Robotics Lab
- Computer Vision Lab
Industry Partners
- Microsoft (corporate)
- Google (corporate)
- Target (corporate)
- 3M (corporate)
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Minneapolis–St. Paul tech hub with Target, Best Buy, 3M headquartersProximity to medical institutions for healthcare AI collaboration
Carleton College — Northfield, MN
Key Distinction: Carleton's strength lies in embedding machine learning across the entire CS curriculum with mandatory capstone research, paired with a liberal arts ethos that encourages students to apply ML to domain-specific problems.
Hakia Insight: Carleton embeds ML across the entire CS curriculum rather than siloing it as electives, but the real advantage is its mandatory capstone paired with liberal arts exposure—students graduate able to apply ML to policy (DOT/FAA), media (SiriusXM), or design problems competitors from engineering schools can't articulate.
At the bachelor's level, carleton's computer science curriculum integrates machine learning as a core thread across multiple courses rather than relegating it to electives, meaning every student gains practical experience with supervised learning, neural networks, and optimization algorithms early. The standout feature is the senior capstone requirement—students must complete a significant independent research or applied project, and many choose ML-focused topics: recent projects include developing recommendation systems for local nonprofits, building computer vision applications for environmental monitoring, and creating reinforcement learning models. With faculty expertise spanning natural language processing, computer vision, and algorithmic optimization, Carleton punches above its weight in research output for a liberal arts school; undergraduates frequently co-author papers presented at regional conferences. The program emphasizes hands-on learning through labs, and class sizes remain small even in upper-level courses, giving students direct access to faculty for guidance on their ML work. Carleton's liberal arts context is an unexpected advantage: students pair machine learning with domain knowledge in biology, economics, environmental science, or social sciences, producing graduates who understand both the technical depth and the ethical, societal implications of their models. Internship placement is strong, with students landing summer positions at tech companies, research institutions, and data-driven startups. Graduates have gone on to PhD programs in machine learning, applied ML roles at companies like Google and Meta, and graduate studies in specialized fields like computational neuroscience.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Industry Partners
- Pinterest (employer)
- DOT/FAA (employer)
- SiriusXM (employer)
- Slalom Consulting (employer)
Location Advantages: Proximity to Minneapolis–St. Paul tech corridor
St Olaf College — Northfield, MN
Key Distinction: St. Olaf's machine learning education is distinctive for its emphasis on mathematical foundations paired with explicit training in AI ethics, bias mitigation, and responsible AI deployment.
At the bachelor's level, st. Olaf's computer science program weaves machine learning into a curriculum rooted in mathematical rigor and ethical reasoning, producing graduates who understand not just how to build models but why and whether they should. The emphasis on discrete mathematics, linear algebra, and probability theory in foundational courses ensures that students developing machine learning applications grasp the statistical underpinnings rather than treating ML as black-box recipes. Upper-level electives in neural networks, data mining, and artificial intelligence allow specialization, and the college's commitment to hands-on learning means students implement these concepts in labs and projects throughout their coursework. St. Olaf's defining characteristic is its integration of ethics and societal impact into computer science discourse; ML and AI courses explicitly address bias, fairness, interpretability, and responsible deployment—topics woven into assignments, not added as afterthoughts. The senior capstone requirement gives students room to pursue ML-focused research questions, with support from faculty mentors. While smaller than research universities, St. Olaf maintains a vibrant research culture; several faculty conduct active research in machine learning and AI, creating opportunities for interested students to engage in summer research. The liberal arts setting means many St. Olaf ML graduates bring cross-disciplinary perspectives—a student might pair machine learning with economics, environmental science, or psychology, enriching their ability to apply models thoughtfully across domains. Graduates work at tech companies, startups, consulting firms, and graduate programs, with many citing the program's emphasis on both technical depth and ethical awareness as a differentiator in interviews.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: Proximity to Minneapolis–St. Paul tech ecosystem
Metropolitan State University — Saint Paul, MN
Key Distinction: Data science project component in Data Science and Visualization course. Hands-on laboratory work in programming courses
Hakia Insight: Metropolitan State's data science program draws faculty expertise from criminology and law enforcement (Dr. Densley co-authored the definitive study on mass shooting prevention), creating unusual cross-disciplinary opportunities in criminal justice ML that business-focused programs don't offer.
The Bachelor of Science in Data Science at Metropolitan State University is a multidisciplinary program integrating coursework in statistics, mathematics, computer science, and management. Students develop advanced skills in data mining, business analytics, and statistical analysis to generate meaningful insights. The curriculum includes hands-on data science projects, machine learning applications, and database management coursework. Core courses cover applied machine learning, regression analysis, multivariate analysis, business intelligence, and predictive analytics. Graduates are prepared to work across diverse industries including medicine, biology, marketing, finance, insurance, and sports. The program emphasizes both technical computing skills and communication abilities for effective team collaboration. Students complete a minimum of 20 credits at Metro State and must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher with grades of C- or better in all major courses.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Data Science — 4 years, on-campus. BS
Industry Partners
- Hennepin County Community Corrections and Rehabilitation (partner)
- Hennepin Technical College (collaborator)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Lesli Blair — Criminology
- Dr. James Densley — Criminology
- Dr. Deborah Eckberg — Criminology
- Dr. Susan Hilal — Criminology
- Dr. Andrew Johnson — Criminology
- Drew Moldenhauer — Criminology
- Dr. Raj Sethuraju — Criminology
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area with major corporate employers
Southwest Minnesota State University — Marshall, MN
Key Distinction: SMSU's machine learning program stands out for its tight integration of regional industry partnerships in agriculture and manufacturing, giving students genuine applied ML experience solving problems for actual businesses rather than theoretical case studies.
Hakia Insight: Southwest Minnesota State's agricultural and manufacturing partnerships aren't supplemental—they're core; students solve real agritech problems (crop yield prediction, equipment optimization) that place graduates directly into a high-demand, lower-saturated sector competitors overlook.
At the bachelor's level, southwest Minnesota State University's machine learning initiatives are embedded within a pragmatic, career-focused computer science framework that prioritizes applied problem-solving over pure theory. Rather than offering a standalone machine learning degree, the program integrates ML coursework throughout its undergraduate and graduate computer science curricula, with particular emphasis on real-world data science applications, predictive modeling, and business intelligence. The university's location in rural Minnesota has shaped a distinctive approach: partnerships with regional agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare organizations provide students with hands-on projects in crop yield prediction, industrial process optimization, and clinical decision support—problems that demand practical ML solutions rather than academic exercises. Faculty bring industry experience alongside academic credentials, and the program maintains close ties with Minnesota's tech corridor, particularly through internship placements in the Twin Cities. Students graduate with portfolios built from actual industry collaborations rather than sandbox projects, a competitive advantage when entering data science and ML engineering roles. The emphasis on applied ML reflects the institution's mission to serve its region while preparing graduates for immediate workforce impact. Class sizes remain small enough for meaningful faculty mentorship, and the program encourages cross-disciplinary work with business, agriculture, and engineering departments—recognizing that ML talent in practice operates at the intersection of domain expertise and algorithmic skill.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Industry Partners
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture (government)
- Local agricultural cooperatives (nonprofit)
Location Advantages: Regional proximity to Minnesota agricultural industry and agritech sectorAccess to Twin Cities tech market for internships and employment (approximately 100 miles)Partnerships with rural manufacturing and healthcare organizations
University of St Thomas — Saint Paul, MN
Key Distinction: Capstone course paired with industry and community partners including Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Travelers Insurance, and Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement. Real-world analytical projects potentially leading to peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations
Hakia Insight: University of St. Thomas' capstone projects with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Travelers Insurance routinely produce peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations, a publication track record that gives undergraduate resumes the research credibility typically reserved for research universities.
The Bachelor of Science in Data Science at University of St. Thomas is an interdisciplinary program combining mathematics, statistics, and computer science to extract insights from structured and unstructured data. The curriculum progresses from foundational courses in data science, statistics, and programming to advanced topics including machine learning, data mining, applied regression analysis, and computational statistics. A cornerstone feature is the capstone course where students partner with industry and community sponsors such as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Travelers Insurance, and the Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement to work on real-world analytical projects. Students gain extensive hands-on experience through a statistical practicum and state-of-the-art computer labs. The program emphasizes practical application across technology, finance, healthcare, and government sectors. Notable outcomes include 20% of graduates co-authoring peer-reviewed papers and 10% presenting work at conferences. Graduates pursue careers as data scientists, data analysts, business intelligence analysts, and machine learning engineers, with 100% of students having the opportunity to work with external industry partners.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Data Science — 4 years, on-campus. BS
Research Labs and Institutes
- Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence
- Applied AI & Data Science Lab
- Center for Microgrid Research
- 3D Data Visualization Studio
- Laser Velocimetry Research Lab
Career Outcomes
Top Employers: Intel.
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Manjeet Rege — Artificial intelligence, machine learning, wearable technology, fraud detection systems
- Dr. Mahmoud Kabalan — Scientific Machine Learning (SciML), microgrid stability prediction, data-driven modeling
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Twin Cities tech ecosystem with major corporate headquarters (3M, UnitedHealth, Target)
Bethany Lutheran College — Mankato, MN
Hakia Insight: Bethany Lutheran College's machine learning offering within a faith-affiliated liberal arts context is under-resourced relative to regional peers, making it a riskier choice unless explicit program accreditation and faculty ML credentials are verified directly with admissions.
At the bachelor's level, data on Bethany Lutheran College's specific machine learning program offerings is limited in publicly available information. As a small, faith-affiliated liberal arts institution in southern Minnesota, the college likely offers computer science coursework that includes data structures and algorithms, with potential electives touching on machine learning or data science topics. However, without confirmed curriculum details, faculty expertise in ML, or documented research initiatives, a detailed program overview cannot be responsibly provided. Prospective students interested in machine learning at Bethany Lutheran should contact the computer science department directly to discuss program depth, available electives, and faculty research areas.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Location Advantages:
University of Minnesota-Duluth — Duluth, MN
Key Distinction: UMD's machine learning program uniquely combines traditional machine learning research with interdisciplinary applications including NASA space exploration projects, bioinformatics, and spatial data mining using GPU acceleration.
Hakia Insight: UMD's partnership with NASA for space exploration projects and bioinformatics research gives students access to GPU-accelerated applications (spatial data mining, robotic learning) that regional competitors can't match—you're training on real satellite data, not toy datasets.
At the bachelor's level, the University of Minnesota-Duluth Computer Science Department, housed within the Swenson College of Science and Engineering, offers comprehensive machine learning education and research opportunities. The department's machine learning program is primarily led by Dr. Richard Maclin, a Professor specializing in data mining and machine learning research. Dr. Maclin's research encompasses creating effective classifiers for real-world datasets, including developing programs to recognize Venusian volcanoes from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for NASA, development and evaluation of ensemble learning methods (particularly bagging and boosting), and techniques for priming reinforcement learners with prior knowledge. The program also incorporates machine learning applications in bioinformatics. Additional faculty contribute to machine learning through related disciplines: Dr. Eleazar Leal researches scalable GPU algorithms for spatial data mining applied to biology, transportation, and urban planning challenges; Dr. Ted Pedersen focuses on computational linguistics using statistical and machine learning techniques for natural language processing; and Dr. Andrew Sutton analyzes randomized search heuristics and evolutionary algorithms. The department emphasizes hands-on research experience through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), which approves over 70% of student proposals and provides stipends. Students work side-by-side with faculty on research projects, with opportunities to present at conferences and publish papers. The program benefits from partnerships with facilities like the Viz & MMAD Lab (Motion and Media Across Disciplines) and access to the Advanced Materials Center directed by Dr. Michael Pluimer. The department maintains strong industry connections and offers both undergraduate and graduate programs with ABET accreditation.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Viz & MMAD Lab (Motion and Media Across Disciplines)
- Advanced Materials Center
- Laboratory for Advanced Research in Systems (LARS)
- Research Instrumentation Lab (RIL)
Industry Partners
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Richard Maclin — Data mining, machine learning, bioinformatics and robotic learning
- Dr. Eleazar Leal — Data Mining, Database Management and Parallel Algorithms for GPU's
- Dr. Ted Pedersen — Computational Linguistics and Natural Language Processing
- Dr. Andrew Sutton — Analysis of Algorithms, Theory of Evolutionary Computation
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Access to Lake Superior research opportunitiesProximity to Twin Ports region
Minnesota State University-Mankato — Mankato, MN
Key Distinction: Team-based capstone experience (CS 300) involving full life-cycle software development. Four required projects throughout program
Hakia Insight: Minnesota State Mankato's AIMS Group and four required capstone projects create a team-based, repetition-heavy model unusual for regional schools, producing graduates with practiced experience in shipping full-lifecycle projects—a pragmatic edge in hiring conversations.
The Computer Science BS program at Minnesota State University-Mankato prepares graduates for computer-related careers and graduate study through a comprehensive 120-credit curriculum spanning theoretical foundations to cutting-edge developments in machine learning and intelligent systems. The program features selective admission requiring completion of foundational courses with grades of 'C' or better and a 2.5 GPA. Students must complete four required projects throughout the program, including a team-based capstone experience (CS 300) involving full life-cycle software development. The curriculum includes specialized courses in artificial intelligence, data mining, intelligent systems, and machine learning through courses like CS 230 (Introduction to Intelligent Systems) and CS 201W (Artificial Intelligence & Science Fiction). Upper-division core courses cover operating systems, software engineering, parallel computing, programming languages, databases, and information security. The program requires at least 50% of computer science credits to be earned at MSU-Mankato and maintains strict academic standards with minimum 'C-' grades required for all coursework.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science — 4 years, on-campus. BS
Research Labs and Institutes
- Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning & Security Research (AIMS) Group
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Rushit Dave — Machine learning & Applications, Cyber Security, Biometrics, Deep Learning and Reinforcement Learning
- Dr. Naseef Mansoor — Applied Machine/Deep Learning, Computer Vision, AI, NLP
Admissions
GPA Requirement: 2.5. Application Deadline: Rolling for U.S. applicants, May 1 for international (Fall), September 1 for international (Spring).
Requirements: Completion of four projects, Minimum 2.5 GPA in required courses, At least 50% of CS credits earned at MSU-Mankato, Minimum grade of C- in all courses, Team-based capstone project
Location Advantages: Regional access to agricultural technology and manufacturing sectors exploring ML for automation
Minnesota State University Moorhead — Moorhead, MN
Key Distinction: A public regional university that prioritizes industry-responsive, implementation-focused ML education with strong regional employment connections and affordability.
Hakia Insight: MSUM's Center for Operations Research and Data Science (CORDS) serves the Fargo-Moorhead region's emerging healthcare IT and insurance sectors, meaning students aren't competing in a saturated Twin Cities job market but rather become talent magnets in a growing, less-saturated tech corridor.
At the bachelor's level, minnesota State University Moorhead's machine learning program is anchored in a computer science curriculum that has evolved to meet growing demand for data science and AI skills. The program takes a practical, skills-forward approach: students engage with ML libraries (scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch) early and often, building confidence in implementation before diving deep into underlying mathematics. Electives cover supervised learning, unsupervised learning, neural networks, and applications in computer vision and NLP. What makes Moorhead's offering distinctive is its responsiveness to regional workforce needs—the program actively solicits feedback from employers in the upper Midwest and adjusts curriculum accordingly, ensuring students graduate with tools that are immediately useful. The faculty tends toward practitioners who maintain industry connections, bringing real project experience into the classroom. Capstone courses often connect to local or regional organizations seeking ML solutions. Located in Fargo-Moorhead, a region experiencing tech sector growth and home to companies in insurance, healthcare IT, and agricultural technology, students benefit from accessible internship and job placement opportunities without the saturation found in major tech hubs. The cost of attendance and quality-of-life factors make this an appealing option for students prioritizing affordability and practical job placement over prestige.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Machine Learning — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Machine Learning — 4 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Center of Operations Research and Data Science (CORDS)
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Kwame Addey — Machine learning, predictive analytics, big data analytics, operations research
- Dr. Hyun Sang An — Digital marketing, sales data analytics
- Dr. Wooyang Kim — Marketing research, behavioral analytics
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Fargo-Moorhead growing tech sector with healthcare IT, insurance, and agricultural technology companies
Best Master's Machine Learning Degree Programs in Minnesota
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities — Minneapolis, MN
Key Distinction: UMN Twin Cities distinguishes itself through research-first graduate training in machine learning, with mandatory thesis work on funded projects and unique opportunities in medical AI and healthcare applications.
Hakia Insight: UMN's mandatory thesis model means your degree isn't coursework-based—it's anchored to funded research projects in deep learning or medical AI, giving you a published research credential and advisor network that positions you for PhD programs or specialized industry research roles competitors without thesis experience lack.
UMN Twin Cities operates one of the most research-intensive machine learning ecosystems in the upper Midwest, anchored by faculty conducting cutting-edge work in deep learning, reinforcement learning, and graphical models. The Department of Computer Science and Engineering offers a dedicated MS in Machine Learning as well as PhD pathways, with the master's program structured to serve both students transitioning from industry and those prepping for doctoral research. Graduate students gain immediate access to high-performance computing clusters and collaborate on active NSF and DoD-funded research projects—many MS thesis projects directly contribute to published papers. The curriculum balances foundational theory (optimization, statistical learning, probability) with applied specializations including computer vision, NLP, robotics, and autonomous systems. What makes UMN distinctive is the tight integration between coursework and research; students often move fluidly between classes and lab rotations, discovering their specialization through hands-on engagement rather than abstract selection. The program also benefits from UMN's medical school and engineering programs, creating opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration in healthcare AI, medical imaging, and biomedical applications—rare for most ML programs. Industry connections are robust, with internships and post-grad placements at Microsoft Research, Google Brain, DeepMind, and regional Fortune 500 companies. Twin Cities' growing tech scene, anchored by companies like Target, Best Buy, 3M, and United Healthcare, provides both internship pipelines and potential employer networks for graduates.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Robotics Lab
- Computer Vision Lab
Industry Partners
- Microsoft (corporate)
- Google (corporate)
- Target (corporate)
- 3M (corporate)
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Minneapolis–St. Paul tech hub with Target, Best Buy, 3M headquartersProximity to medical institutions for healthcare AI collaboration
Metropolitan State University — Saint Paul, MN
Key Distinction: Metropolitan State's machine learning program stands out for its applied, industry-aligned curriculum and evening/hybrid delivery designed for working professionals in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area.
Hakia Insight: Metropolitan State's evening and hybrid delivery explicitly targets working professionals already embedded in Twin Cities companies (Hennepin County, major corporations), meaning cohort peers are your current colleagues with immediate context for applying ML to real problems you face Monday morning.
At the master's level, metropolitan State's computer science program takes a pragmatic, applied approach to machine learning, prioritizing skills directly transferable to regional industry needs. The curriculum emphasizes Python-based implementations, data pipeline design, and real-world project work from day one; students solve problems using actual datasets from local businesses and organizations rather than toy examples. MSU's partnerships with Minnesota tech employers—particularly in financial services, healthcare analytics, and logistics—create a pipeline for applied capstone projects and internships where students deploy ML models to production environments. The program is designed with working students in mind; many courses are offered in evening and hybrid formats, recognizing that MSU's student body often balances full-time employment with degree completion. Faculty maintain active industry consulting practices, bringing current challenges and tools directly into the classroom; you're learning XGBoost, Kubernetes, and AWS ML services from instructors who use them professionally. MSU graduates frequently transition into data scientist or machine learning engineer roles at Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the Twin Cities, as well as at mid-market analytics firms and startups. The program's relative accessibility—lower tuition than research universities, flexible scheduling—makes it an attractive pathway for career-changers and mid-career professionals seeking technical upskilling without the research focus or three-figure debt of peer institutions.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Industry Partners
- Hennepin County Community Corrections and Rehabilitation (partner)
- Hennepin Technical College (collaborator)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Lesli Blair — Criminology
- Dr. James Densley — Criminology
- Dr. Deborah Eckberg — Criminology
- Dr. Susan Hilal — Criminology
- Dr. Andrew Johnson — Criminology
- Drew Moldenhauer — Criminology
- Dr. Raj Sethuraju — Criminology
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area with major corporate employers
Saint Cloud State University — Saint Cloud, MN
Key Distinction: The department features specialized research labs including an Autonomous Systems Laboratory with Brain-Computer Interface technology and humanoid robotics, plus maintains a 95% graduate employment rate in related fields.
Hakia Insight: Saint Cloud State's dual master's offerings (MS and MA) cater to different career trajectories—the MS pairs with technical labs like Autonomous Systems, while the MA targets management and policy roles, a deliberate branching that most programs collapse into one degree.
At the master's level, the Computing, Informatics, and Data Science department at Saint Cloud State University offers comprehensive programs in computer science, software engineering, cybersecurity, statistics, and data science. The department houses faculty across multiple specializations and maintains a 95% job placement rate for recent graduates, with this rate increasing by approximately three percent since 2015. Notable faculty include Dr. Mark Petzold as Department Chair, and specialists like Dr. Bhaskar Ghosh focusing on machine learning and AI, and Dr. Maninder Singh working in machine learning, big data analytics, and natural language processing. The department operates specialized research facilities including a Student Centered Cybersecurity Laboratory, Visualization Laboratory with 2D and 3D visualization tools and AI computing resources, and an Autonomous Systems Laboratory equipped with Brain-Computer Interface headsets, NVIDIA GPU server, VR equipment, drones, and a Nao6 humanoid robot. The department also houses the Statistical Consulting and Research Center. Academic programs include ABET-accredited undergraduate degrees and graduate programs in Computer Science MS, Software Engineering PSM, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and Information Assurance MS. The curriculum emphasizes cutting-edge areas like cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, and agile development, preparing students for high-demand careers in the evolving technology sector.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Machine Learning — 1-2 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Student Centered Cybersecurity Laboratory
- Visualization Laboratory
- Autonomous Systems Laboratory
- Statistical Consulting and Research Center
Industry Partners
- Boston Scientific (employer)
- Medtronic (employer)
- Emerson (employer)
- Abbott (employer)
- Xcel Energy (employer)
- Trystar (employer)
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Bhaskar Ghosh — Generative Adversarial Networks, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Neuro Symbolic AI, Natural Language Processing, Cybersecurity Analytics
- Dr. Maninder Singh — Machine Learning, Big Data Analytics, Natural Language Processing, Artificial Intelligence, Software Quality
- Dr. Omar Al-Azzam — Big-data analytics, bioinformatics, data mining
- Dr. Jalal Khalil — Geospatial Data Management, Graph Mining, Data Analytics
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages:
University of Minnesota-Duluth — Duluth, MN
Key Distinction: Thesis-based track for Ph.D. preparation. Research-focused curriculum with faculty mentorship
Hakia Insight: UMN Duluth's thesis-based track explicitly prepares students for PhD work, but the real differentiator is Dr. Richard Maclin's focus on bioinformatics and robotic learning—a niche that commands premium hiring at NASA, giving thesis students a clearer path to research roles than programs that treat thesis as optional.
The Master of Science in Computer Science at University of Minnesota-Duluth is a two-year full-time program designed for working professionals and career-changers with an undergraduate degree in computer science or related field. The program emphasizes research methodology and practical applications, offering in-depth coursework in mathematics, algorithms, software design, and programming languages. Students develop specialized knowledge through faculty-mentored research projects and can pursue either a thesis-based track for Ph.D. preparation or a coursework-focused path for industry careers. Graduate assistantships are available to qualified applicants, providing stipend support and tuition benefits. The program prepares graduates for advancement into senior technical roles, research positions, or Ph.D. pursuit, with strong placement in technology companies and research institutions. Faculty research areas include machine learning, data mining, biomedical informatics, and computational linguistics.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Computer Science — 1-2 years, on-campus. MS
Research Labs and Institutes
- Viz & MMAD Lab (Motion and Media Across Disciplines)
- Advanced Materials Center
- Laboratory for Advanced Research in Systems (LARS)
- Research Instrumentation Lab (RIL)
Industry Partners
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Richard Maclin — Data mining, machine learning, bioinformatics and robotic learning
- Dr. Eleazar Leal — Data Mining, Database Management and Parallel Algorithms for GPU's
- Dr. Ted Pedersen — Computational Linguistics and Natural Language Processing
- Dr. Andrew Sutton — Analysis of Algorithms, Theory of Evolutionary Computation
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Access to Lake Superior research opportunitiesProximity to Twin Ports region
