IIT vs. St Olaf

Deciding between Illinois Institute of Technology and St Olaf College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Illinois Institute of Technology
St Olaf College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • IIT Chicago, IL
  • St Olaf Northfield, MN
  • Setting
  • IIT Large City
  • St Olaf Distant Town
  • Total enrollment
  • IIT 8,834
  • St Olaf 3,124
  • Type
  • IIT Private 4 Year
  • St Olaf Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • IIT #236
  • St Olaf #143
  • Religious Affiliation
  • IIT -
  • St Olaf Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Status
  • IIT Non-profit
  • St Olaf Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • IIT
  • St Olaf

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • IIT $52,386
  • St Olaf $59,760
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • IIT $52,386
  • St Olaf $59,760
  • Room & Board
  • IIT $17,356
  • St Olaf $13,630
  • Average Net Price
  • IIT $24,796
  • St Olaf $26,756
  • Average Grant Aid
  • IIT $44,547
  • St Olaf $45,098
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • IIT 100%
  • St Olaf 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • IIT 12,216
  • St Olaf 6,623
  • Admitted
  • IIT 6,710
  • St Olaf 3,200
  • Acceptance Rate
  • IIT 54.9%
  • St Olaf 48.3%
  • Enrolled
  • IIT 7.7%
  • St Olaf 26.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • IIT 1310
  • St Olaf 1390
  • Typical ACT score
  • IIT 29
  • St Olaf 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • IIT 3.84
  • St Olaf 3.68
  • Typical High School Grades
  • IIT A-
  • St Olaf A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • IIT Very High
  • St Olaf Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • IIT Low
  • St Olaf Low
  • ACT Range
  • IIT 26/32
  • St Olaf 28/32
  • SAT Range
  • IIT 1180/1440
  • St Olaf 1300/1470
  • Submit Test Scores
  • IIT Test optional
  • St Olaf Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • IIT Mar 1, 2027
  • St Olaf Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • IIT 14:1
  • St Olaf 11:1
  • Popular Majors
  • IIT
    • Engineering (50%)
    • Architecture (20%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
    • Business (7%)
    • Biology (4%)
  • St Olaf
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Physical Sciences (8%)
    • Mathematics (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • IIT 64%
  • St Olaf 85%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • IIT $79,300
  • St Olaf $53,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • IIT 81%
  • St Olaf 91%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • IIT $27,000
  • St Olaf $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • IIT $279
  • St Olaf $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • IIT 62%
  • St Olaf 42%
  • % Women
  • IIT 38%
  • St Olaf 58%
  • Racial Diversity
  • IIT Very High
  • St Olaf Low
  • HBCU
  • IIT No
  • St Olaf No
  • % White
  • IIT 33%
  • St Olaf 75%
  • % Asian
  • IIT 13%
  • St Olaf 6%
  • % Black
  • IIT 6%
  • St Olaf 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • IIT 16%
  • St Olaf 5%
  • % Native American
  • IIT 0%
  • St Olaf 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • IIT 0%
  • St Olaf 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • IIT 2%
  • St Olaf 4%
  • % International
  • IIT 26%
  • St Olaf 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • IIT 4%
  • St Olaf 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • IIT 67%
  • St Olaf 44%
  • % Out-of-State
  • IIT 24%
  • St Olaf 42%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • IIT Yes
  • St Olaf Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • IIT No
  • St Olaf No
  • Meal Plan
  • IIT Yes
  • St Olaf Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • IIT Yes
  • St Olaf No
  • Daycare Facility
  • IIT No
  • St Olaf No

Comparable Facts

Compare Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL with St Olaf College in Northfield, MN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Illinois Institute of Technology is larger than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (8,834 students vs. 3,124 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Illinois Institute of Technology is located in Chicago, IL (Large City setting); St Olaf College is in Northfield, MN (Distant Town setting).
  • Illinois Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. St Olaf College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Illinois Institute of Technology 14:1; St Olaf College 11:1.

IIT vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IIT or St Olaf? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois Institute of Technology than St Olaf ($24,796 vs. $26,756).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 21.5% lower than at Illinois Institute of Technology ($13,630 vs. $17,356).
  • St Olaf College is 14.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than IIT (about $7,374 more per year; $59,760.00 vs. $52,386.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 14.1% higher at St Olaf than at Illinois Institute of Technology (about $7,374 more per year; $59,760.00 vs. $52,386.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Illinois Institute of Technology as at St Olaf College (100% vs. 100%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 1.2% larger than aid received by Illinois Institute of Technology students ($45,098 vs. $44,547).

IIT vs. St Olaf Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IIT or St Olaf? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between St Olaf and IIT.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St Olaf College (1390) is 80 points higher than at IIT (1310).
  • Incoming St Olaf students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 29 at IIT).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Illinois Institute of Technology 1180/1440; St Olaf College 1300/1470.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Illinois Institute of Technology 26/32; St Olaf College 28/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: IIT - Test optional; St Olaf - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: IIT Mar 1, 2027; St Olaf Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman IIT students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at St Olaf (3.68).
  • IIT has a higher acceptance rate (54.9%) than St Olaf (48.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 7.7% at IIT vs. 26.8% at St Olaf.

IIT vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for IIT and St Olaf? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • St Olaf College's six-year graduation rate (85%) is higher than Illinois Institute of Technology's (64%).
  • Graduates from Illinois Institute of Technology earn a median of about $25,600 more per year than St Olaf graduates about ten years after starting college ($79,300 vs. $53,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, St Olaf College and IIT graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, St Olaf College and IIT graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IIT students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 81%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.