Saint Benedict vs. St. Cloud State University

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

Saint Benedict St. Cloud State University
Location Saint Joseph, MN Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,451 10,514
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #305 #622
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csbsju.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Saint Benedict St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $52,700 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $52,700 $8,811
Room & Board $12,160 $9,630
Avg Net Price $29,720 $14,648
Avg Grant Aid $37,173 $7,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 74%

Admission

Saint Benedict St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,852 5,026
Admitted 1,692 4,772
Acceptance Rate 91.4% 94.9%
Enrolled % 22.4% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.4
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 18/25
SAT Range 950/1220 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 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

Saint Benedict St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Saint Benedict St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 81% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,343 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $272 $232

Diversity

Saint Benedict St. Cloud State University
% Men 0% 8%
% Women 3% 12%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 73%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 4% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Saint Benedict St. Cloud State University
% In-State 89% 75%
% Out-of-State 7% 11%

Campus

Saint Benedict 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 Saint Benedict based on total student enrollment (10,514 students vs. 1,451 students)

Saint Benedict vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

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

  • College of Saint Benedict is 498.1% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($52,700.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 498.1% higher at Saint Benedict than Saint Cloud State University ($52,700.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than Saint Benedict ($14,648 vs. $29,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 26.3% lower than costs at College of Saint Benedict ($9,630 vs. $12,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Saint Benedict than Saint Cloud State University (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Saint Benedict students is 405.9% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($37,173 vs. $7,348)

Saint Benedict vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Saint Benedict 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 Saint Benedict .

  • The average SAT score at College of Saint Benedict (1118) is 88 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming Saint Benedict students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Saint Benedict students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Saint Benedict (91.4%)

Saint Benedict vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Saint Benedict 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 Saint Benedict.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Benedict is higher than Saint Cloud State University (81% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from College of Saint Benedict earn on average $7,000 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $46,700)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $3,843 lower median federal student loan debt than Saint Benedict graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,343)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Saint Benedict graduates. ($232 vs. $272)
  • More Saint Benedict 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/