Carleton College vs. St. Cloud State University

Should I go to Carleton College or Saint Cloud State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Carleton College 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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Carleton College vs. Saint Cloud State University comparison
Carleton College Saint Cloud State University College 3 College 4
Carleton College Saint Cloud State University
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Overview

 Carleton College St. Cloud State University
Location Northfield, MN Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 2,069 10,514
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #42 #622
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Carleton College St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $65,043 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $65,043 $8,811
Room & Board $16,710 $9,630
Avg Net Price $29,434 $14,648
Avg Grant Aid $51,916 $7,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 74%

Admission

 Carleton College St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,464 5,026
Admitted 1,440 4,772
Acceptance Rate 22.3% 94.9%
Enrolled % 37.4% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.4
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 32/34 18/25
SAT Range 1430/1550 970/1280
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 Jan 15, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

 Carleton College St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 Carleton College St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 93% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $232

Diversity

 Carleton College St. Cloud State University
% Men 1% 8%
% Women 1% 12%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 73%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Carleton College St. Cloud State University
% In-State 21% 75%
% Out-of-State 67% 11%

Campus

 Carleton College St. Cloud State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Carleton College based on total student enrollment (10,514 students vs. 2,069 students)

Carleton College vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

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

  • Carleton College is 638.2% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($65,043.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 638.2% higher at Carleton College than Saint Cloud State University ($65,043.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than Carleton College ($14,648 vs. $29,434)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 73.5% lower than costs at Carleton College ($9,630 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Cloud State University than Carleton College (74% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 606.5% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($51,916 vs. $7,348)

Carleton College vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Carleton College 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 Carleton College .

  • The average SAT score at Carleton College (1400) is 370 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming Carleton College students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Carleton College (22.3%)

Carleton College vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carleton College 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 Carleton College.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Saint Cloud State University (93% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $18,900 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $46,700)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,500)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($201 vs. $232)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 67%)

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