[6] David E. Sweet was appointed the university's first president[7] and the school, with offices above a drugstore in downtown St. Paul, admitted the first class of 50 students in 1972.

The university had no campus and held classes in rented space throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

It was strictly an upper-division college where students could complete only their junior and senior years of academic study.

As part of its mission to educate working adults and non-traditional students, Metro State previously had an open admissions policy with rolling applications accepted throughout the year.

Moreover, graduates of Metro State's accounting program consistently place among the top-10 finishers in Minnesota's exacting CPA examination.

[18] Metro State is also accredited by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB), the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

In addition, Metro State has received recognition and endorsements from the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and from the National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.

Metro State University accommodates the needs of working adults by scheduling many of its classes in the evening and on weekends.

It is possible for recent graduates of Minneapolis and St. Paul public high schools to attend Metro State tuition free.

[5] In 2002, the Minnesota legislature approved funding for the construction of a library at the St. Paul campus; the building opened in 2004.