Ridgewater College

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a self-contained town.

Overview

Ridgewater College is a community and technical college located in Willmar, Minnesota. This college was established in 1996 after the merge of Hutchinson-Willmar Regional technical College and Willmar Community College. The college is under the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System and is among the largest public colleges in Minnesota. Enrolling more than 5,000 students on an annual basis, the college offers a wide variety of degree and certificate programs in study areas which include accounting, business, nursing, liberal arts and mass communications.

This college offers a wide variety of clubs and organizations for the students including Phi Theta Kappa, the Anime Club, the Drama Club, the Multicultural Club and the Estheology Club. Male students of the college participate in sports such as baseball, basketball and soccer, while the female students are engaged in softball, basketball and volleyball.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Many students concentrating in agricultural science and management, nursing and emergency medicine, and media.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• Large number of students.
• High faculty salary.

School characteristics:

• The school is public.
• Academic calender: Semester.
• Carnegie classification: Associates Colleges.

Features of note:

• Open admission; accepts all qualified candidates.
• The school offers a faculty tenure system.
• There are one or more libraries on-campus.
• Students may study abroad.
• Distance learning is available.
• Weekend study is an option.
• Part-time classes are available.

Tuition and Financial Aid (2009-2010)

Financial Aid

Ridgewater College participates in US Title IV financial assistance programs.

In 2009-2010, 79% of students received financial aid of some sort.

(Please refer to BrainTrack's financial aid articles section for background information.)

Similar Schools

Based on proprietary BrainTrack computer comparisons against all other US colleges, these schools appear to be most similar to Ridgewater College:

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Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 4,159 in 2009-2010 (3,306 full-time equivalent).

Undergrads are 100% of enrolled students.

Students under 25 years old represent 61% of the student body. About 15% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Room and Board

On-campus housing is not available.

Graduate School Focus

The highest degree offered is the Associate.

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT (91 awarded)

• Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations
• Agricultural Production Operations
• Agriculture
• Dairy Husbandry and Production
• Farm/Farm and Ranch Management

BEAUTY AND COSMETOLOGY (32 awarded)

• Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist
• Cosmetology/Cosmetologist
• Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (61 awarded)

• Accounting
• Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping
• Insurance
• Marketing/Marketing Management
• Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations
• Selling Skills and Sales Operations
• Small Business Administration/Management

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (15 awarded)

• Computer Programming/Programmer
• Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
• System Administration/Administrator
• Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design

CONSTRUCTION TRADES (35 awarded)

• Carpentry/Carpenter
• Electrician

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (10 awarded)

• Early Childhood Education and Teaching
• Teacher Assistant/Aide

ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN (59 awarded)

• Computer Technology/Computer Systems Technology
• Electrical/Electronic/Communications Engr Technology/Technician
• Electromechanical Technology/Electromechanical Engineering Tech
• Instrumentation Technology/Technician
• Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD
• Telecommunications Technology/Technician

LANDSCAPING AND HORTICULTURE (2 awarded)

• Agronomy and Crop Science

LAW (10 awarded)

• Legal Administrative Assistant/Secretary

LIBERAL ARTS (201 awarded)

• Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies

MECHANICS AND REPAIR (45 awarded)

• Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician
• Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician

MEDIA (29 awarded)

• Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
• Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design
• Recording Arts Technology/Technician

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION (15 awarded)

• Health Information/Medical Records Technology/Technician
• Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant and Medical Secretary
• Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY (77 awarded)

• Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder
• Medical/Clinical Assistant
• Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer
• Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician/Veterinary Assistant

NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE (282 awarded)

• Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)
• Health Aide
• Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training
• Nurse/Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant
• Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN)

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (1 awarded)

• Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy

OFFICE AND ADMINISTRATION (33 awarded)

• Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science
• Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications
• General Office Occupations and Clerical Services

PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART (19 awarded)

• Commercial Photography

PRODUCTION TRADES (37 awarded)

• Machine Tool Technology/Machinist
• Welding Technology/Welder

SCIENCE (2 awarded)

• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (11 awarded)

• Criminal Justice/Police Science

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (17 awarded)

• Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage