Lewis-Clark State College vs. Southwest Minnesota State University

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

Lewis-Clark State College Southwest Minnesota State University
Location Lewiston, ID Marshall, MN
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,746 6,930
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #969 #948
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lcsc.edu smsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lewis-Clark State College Southwest Minnesota State University
Tuition (In State) $6,999 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $20,252 $8,840
Room & Board $8,460 $9,258
Avg Net Price $11,476 $15,004
Avg Grant Aid $6,555 $7,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 94%

Admission

Lewis-Clark State College Southwest Minnesota State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,938 1,558
Admitted 3,417 1,427
Acceptance Rate 86.8% 91.6%
Enrolled % 14.5% 22.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.21
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23
SAT Range 850/1110 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 8, 2025 Aug 18, 2025

Academics

Lewis-Clark State College Southwest Minnesota State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (6%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Lewis-Clark State College Southwest Minnesota State University
Graduation Rate 28% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,944 $21,678
Median Loan Payment $226 $224

Diversity

Lewis-Clark State College Southwest Minnesota State University
% Men 37% 38%
% Women 63% 62%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 80%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 3% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Lewis-Clark State College Southwest Minnesota State University
% In-State 85% 74%
% Out-of-State 13% 20%

Campus

Lewis-Clark State College Southwest Minnesota State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Southwest Minnesota State University is larger than than Lewis-Clark State College based on total student enrollment (6,930 students vs. 3,746 students)

Lewis-Clark State College vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lewis-Clark State College or Southwest Minnesota State University?

  • Southwest Minnesota State University is 26.3% more expensive to attend than Lewis-Clark State College for in-state tuition ($8,840.00 vs. $6,999.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 129.1% higher at Lewis-Clark State College than Southwest Minnesota State University ($20,252.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lewis Clark State College than Southwest Minnesota State University ($11,476 vs. $15,004)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lewis Clark State College are 9.4% lower than costs at Southwest Minnesota State University ($8,460 vs. $9,258)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southwest Minnesota State University than Lewis Clark State College (94% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Minnesota State University students is 12.7% larger than aid received Lewis Clark State College ($7,389 vs. $6,555)

Lewis-Clark State College vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lewis-Clark State College 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 Lewis-Clark State College .

  • The average SAT score at Southwest Minnesota State University (1008) is 69 points higher than at Lewis-Clark State College (939)
  • Incoming Southwest Minnesota State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Lewis-Clark State College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Lewis-Clark State College students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.23) than students at Southwest Minnesota State University (3.21)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University has a higher acceptance rate (91.6%) than Lewis-Clark State College (86.8%)

Lewis-Clark State College vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lewis-Clark State College 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 Lewis-Clark State College.

  • The graduation rate at Southwest Minnesota State University is higher than Lewis Clark State College (39% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Southwest Minnesota State University earn on average $3,200 more per year than Lewis-Clark State College graduates after ten years. ($41,200 vs. $38,000)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University students graduate with a $266 lower median federal student loan debt than Lewis-Clark State College graduates. ($21,678 vs. $21,944)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Lewis-Clark State College graduates. ($224 vs. $226)
  • More Southwest Minnesota State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lewis-Clark State College students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 55%)

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