BLC vs. St. Cloud State University

Should I go to Bethany Lutheran College or Saint Cloud State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BLC or St. Cloud State University is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Bethany Lutheran College vs. Saint Cloud State University comparison
Bethany Lutheran College Saint Cloud State University College 3 College 4
Saint Cloud State University
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Overview

 BLC St. Cloud State University
Location Mankato, MN Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 830 10,420
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #710
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BLC St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $28,330 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $28,330 $18,695
Room & Board $8,270 $9,950
Avg Net Price $18,525 $14,065
Avg Grant Aid $20,705 $6,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 BLC St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 665 4,810
Admitted 389 4,583
Acceptance Rate 58.5% 95.3%
Enrolled % 45.2% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 18/24
SAT Range 990/1290 1027/1200
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 BLC St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 BLC St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 53% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $240 $232

Diversity

 BLC St. Cloud State University
% Men 48% 43%
% Women 52% 57%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 73%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BLC St. Cloud State University
% In-State 59% 75%
% Out-of-State 23% 11%

Campus

 BLC St. Cloud State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Cloud State University is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (10,420 students vs. 830 students)

BLC vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or St. Cloud State University?

  • Bethany Lutheran College is 221.5% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($28,330.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 51.5% higher at BLC than Saint Cloud State University ($28,330.00 vs. $18,695.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than BLC ($14,065 vs. $18,525)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 20.3% lower than costs at Saint Cloud State University ($8,270 vs. $9,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College than Saint Cloud State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethany Lutheran College students is 242.7% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($20,705 vs. $6,042)

BLC vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BLC or St. Cloud State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between St. Cloud State University or BLC .

  • The average SAT score at Bethany Lutheran College (1074) is 44 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming BLC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman BLC students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than BLC (58.5%)

BLC vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BLC or St. Cloud State University? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between St. Cloud State University and BLC.

  • The graduation rate at BLC is higher than Saint Cloud State University (53% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Saint Cloud State University earn on average $9,400 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $37,300)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than BLC graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,250)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than BLC graduates. ($232 vs. $240)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 67%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/