Gustavus Adolphus College vs. St. Cloud State University

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

Gustavus Adolphus College St. Cloud State University
Location Saint Peter, MN Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 2,072 10,420
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #710
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gustavus.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Gustavus Adolphus College St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $52,490 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $52,490 $18,695
Room & Board $11,010 $9,950
Avg Net Price $30,297 $14,065
Avg Grant Aid $32,808 $6,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 98%

Admission

Gustavus Adolphus College St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,781 4,810
Admitted 2,794 4,583
Acceptance Rate 73.9% 95.3%
Enrolled % 16.6% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 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 Apr 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Gustavus Adolphus College St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Gustavus Adolphus College St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 82% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,300 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $232

Diversity

Gustavus Adolphus College St. Cloud State University
% Men 45% 43%
% Women 55% 57%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 73%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Gustavus Adolphus College St. Cloud State University
% In-State 79% 75%
% Out-of-State 15% 11%

Campus

Gustavus Adolphus College 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 Gustavus Adolphus College based on total student enrollment (10,420 students vs. 2,072 students)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

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

  • Gustavus Adolphus College is 495.7% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($52,490.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 180.8% higher at Gustavus Adolphus College than Saint Cloud State University ($52,490.00 vs. $18,695.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than Gustavus Adolphus College ($14,065 vs. $30,297)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 10.7% lower than costs at Gustavus Adolphus College ($9,950 vs. $11,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Cloud State University than Gustavus Adolphus College (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gustavus Adolphus College students is 443% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($32,808 vs. $6,042)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Gustavus Adolphus 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 Gustavus Adolphus College .

  • Accepted freshman Gustavus Adolphus College students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Gustavus Adolphus College (73.9%)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gustavus Adolphus 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 Gustavus Adolphus College.

  • The graduation rate at Gustavus Adolphus College is higher than Saint Cloud State University (82% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Gustavus Adolphus College earn on average $9,600 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $46,700)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Gustavus Adolphus College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Gustavus Adolphus College graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Gustavus Adolphus College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 67%)

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