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Iowa Michigan State Carleton College Purdue Nebraska UIC Minnesota UNI Illinois ASU IU UT Dallas| Iowa State University | St Olaf College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | St Olaf | ||
| Location | Ames, IA | Northfield, MN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 29,969 | 3,046 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #352 | #156 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iastate.edu | stolaf.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | St Olaf | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,678 | $54,650 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,162 | $54,650 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,358 | $12,450 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,310 | $26,171 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,043 | $40,399 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 80% | 99% |
Admission |
ISU | St Olaf | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 21,919 | 5,524 | ||
| Admitted | 19,776 | 3,116 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.2% | 56.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 29% | 27.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 28/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1350 | 1300/1480 | ||
| 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, 2025 |
Academics |
ISU | St Olaf | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | St Olaf | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 85% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $53,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 91% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,868 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $279 |
Diversity |
ISU | St Olaf | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 55% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 45% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 75% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
ISU | St Olaf | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 52% | 47% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 43% | ||
Campus |
ISU | St Olaf | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Iowa State University is larger than than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 3,046 students)
ISU vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or St Olaf?
- St Olaf College is 529.8% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $8,678.00)
- Out of state tuition is 117.2% higher at St Olaf than Iowa State University ($54,650.00 vs. $25,162.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than St Olaf ($15,310 vs. $26,171)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 33% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($9,358 vs. $12,450)
- More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Iowa State University (99% vs. 80%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 265.8% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($40,399 vs. $11,043)
ISU vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or St Olaf? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between St Olaf or ISU .
- The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 140 points higher than at ISU (1142)
- Incoming St Olaf students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at ISU (25)
- Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at St Olaf (3.68)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than St Olaf (56.4%)
ISU vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or St Olaf? 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 Olaf and ISU.
- The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Iowa State University (85% vs. 68%)
- Graduates of Iowa State University and St Olaf have equivalent average earnings after ten years ($53,700 vs. $53,700)
- Iowa State University students graduate with a $3,132 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($23,868 vs. $27,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
- More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/