Concordia University-Saint Paul vs. Southwest Minnesota State University

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

Concordia University-Saint Paul Southwest Minnesota State University
Location Saint Paul, MN Marshall, MN
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,544 6,930
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #948
Religious Affiliation Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csp.edu smsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Concordia University-Saint Paul Southwest Minnesota State University
Tuition (In State) $24,400 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $24,400 $8,840
Room & Board $10,200 $9,258
Avg Net Price $17,776 $15,004
Avg Grant Aid $16,487 $7,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

Concordia University-Saint Paul Southwest Minnesota State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,536 1,558
Admitted 1,752 1,427
Acceptance Rate 69.1%Open 91.6%
Enrolled % 17.2%Open 22.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.14 3.21
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23
SAT Range 935/1102
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 1, 2025 Aug 18, 2025

Academics

Concordia University-Saint Paul Southwest Minnesota State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (51%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Concordia University-Saint Paul Southwest Minnesota State University
Graduation Rate 48% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,400 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,405 $21,678
Median Loan Payment $231 $224

Diversity

Concordia University-Saint Paul Southwest Minnesota State University
% Men 36% 38%
% Women 64% 62%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 80%
% Black 13% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Concordia University-Saint Paul Southwest Minnesota State University
% In-State 73% 74%
% Out-of-State 26% 20%

Campus

Concordia University-Saint Paul Southwest Minnesota State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Southwest Minnesota State University is larger than than Concordia University-Saint Paul based on total student enrollment (6,930 students vs. 5,544 students)

Concordia University-Saint Paul vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Concordia University-Saint Paul or Southwest Minnesota State University?

  • Concordia University Saint Paul is 176% more expensive to attend than Southwest Minnesota State University for in-state tuition ($24,400.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 176% higher at Concordia University-Saint Paul than Southwest Minnesota State University ($24,400.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southwest Minnesota State University than Concordia University-Saint Paul ($15,004 vs. $17,776)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Minnesota State University are 10.2% lower than costs at Concordia University Saint Paul ($9,258 vs. $10,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Concordia University Saint Paul than Southwest Minnesota State University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Concordia University Saint Paul students is 123.1% larger than aid received Southwest Minnesota State University ($16,487 vs. $7,389)

Concordia University-Saint Paul vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Concordia University-Saint Paul or Southwest Minnesota State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Southwest Minnesota State University or Concordia University-Saint Paul .

  • Accepted freshman Southwest Minnesota State University students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.21) than students at Concordia University-Saint Paul (3.14)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University has a higher acceptance rate (91.6%) than Concordia University-Saint Paul (69.1%)

Concordia University-Saint Paul vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Concordia University-Saint Paul or Southwest Minnesota 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 Southwest Minnesota State University and Concordia University-Saint Paul.

  • The graduation rate at Concordia University-Saint Paul is higher than Southwest Minnesota State University (48% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Concordia University Saint Paul earn on average $16,200 more per year than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates after ten years. ($57,400 vs. $41,200)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University students graduate with a $727 lower median federal student loan debt than Concordia University-Saint Paul graduates. ($21,678 vs. $22,405)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Concordia University-Saint Paul graduates. ($224 vs. $231)
  • More Southwest Minnesota State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Concordia University-Saint Paul students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 61%)

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