Luther- Norse vs. St. Cloud State University

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

Luther- Norse St. Cloud State University
Location Decorah, IA Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 1,463 10,514
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #299 #622
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website luther.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Luther- Norse St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $49,650 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $49,650 $8,811
Room & Board $11,180 $9,630
Avg Net Price $24,790 $14,648
Avg Grant Aid $38,042 $7,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 74%

Admission

Luther- Norse St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,447 5,026
Admitted 1,793 4,772
Acceptance Rate 73.3% 94.9%
Enrolled % 19.6% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 18/25
SAT Range 1098/1318 970/1280
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 15, 2026

Academics

Luther- Norse St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Luther- Norse St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 69% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,000 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $232

Diversity

Luther- Norse St. Cloud State University
% Men 0% 8%
% Women 0% 12%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 73%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Luther- Norse St. Cloud State University
% In-State 28% 75%
% Out-of-State 58% 11%

Campus

Luther- Norse 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 Luther- Norse based on total student enrollment (10,514 students vs. 1,463 students)

Luther- Norse vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Luther- Norse or St. Cloud State University?

  • Luther College is 463.5% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($49,650.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 463.5% higher at Luther- Norse than Saint Cloud State University ($49,650.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than Luther- Norse ($14,648 vs. $24,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 16.1% lower than costs at Luther College ($9,630 vs. $11,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Luther College than Saint Cloud State University (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Luther College students is 417.7% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($38,042 vs. $7,348)

Luther- Norse vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Luther- Norse 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 Luther- Norse .

  • The average SAT score at Luther College (1179) is 149 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming Luther- Norse students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Luther- Norse students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Luther- Norse (73.3%)

Luther- Norse vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Luther- Norse 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 Luther- Norse.

  • The graduation rate at Luther- Norse is higher than Saint Cloud State University (69% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Luther College earn on average $3,300 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $46,700)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Luther- Norse graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Luther- Norse graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Luther- Norse 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/