MLC vs. St. Bona

Should I go to Martin Luther College or Saint Bonaventure University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MLC or St. Bona 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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Martin Luther College vs. Saint Bonaventure University comparison
Martin Luther College Saint Bonaventure University College 3 College 4
Martin Luther College Saint Bonaventure University
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Overview

MLC St. Bona
Location New Ulm, MN Saint Bonaventure, NY
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 860 2,603
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #502
Religious Affiliation Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mlc-wels.edu sbu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MLC St. Bona
Tuition (In State) $17,770 $38,950
Tuition (Out of State) $17,770 $38,950
Room & Board $7,280 $15,000
Avg Net Price $21,072 $27,659
Avg Grant Aid $8,222 $27,508
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

MLC St. Bona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 218 4,299
Admitted 180 3,505
Acceptance Rate 82.6% 81.5%
Enrolled % 83.3% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/27 23/30
SAT Range 1078/1256 1050/1260
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 Jul 30, 2026

Academics

MLC St. Bona
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (67%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (33%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

MLC St. Bona
Graduation Rate 73% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $48,800
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $239 $279

Diversity

MLC St. Bona
% Men 6% 9%
% Women 8% 17%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 93% 69%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 1% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 9%

Students

MLC St. Bona
% In-State 11% 78%
% Out-of-State 89% 17%

Campus

MLC St. Bona
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Bonaventure University is larger than than MLC based on total student enrollment (2,603 students vs. 860 students)

MLC vs. St. Bona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MLC or St. Bona?

  • Saint Bonaventure University is 119.2% more expensive to attend than MLC for in-state tuition ($38,950.00 vs. $17,770.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 119.2% higher at St. Bona than Martin Luther College ($38,950.00 vs. $17,770.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Martin Luther College than St. Bona ($21,072 vs. $27,659)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Martin Luther College are 106% lower than costs at Saint Bonaventure University ($7,280 vs. $15,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Martin Luther College than Saint Bonaventure University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Bonaventure University students is 234.6% larger than aid received Martin Luther College ($27,508 vs. $8,222)

MLC vs. St. Bona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MLC or St. Bona? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between St. Bona or MLC .

  • The average SAT score at Martin Luther College (1145) is 79 points higher than at St. Bona (1066)
  • Incoming MLC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at St. Bona (24)
  • Accepted freshman MLC students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at St. Bona (3.48)
  • MLC has a higher acceptance rate (82.6%) than St. Bona (81.5%)

MLC vs. St. Bona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MLC or St. Bona? 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. Bona and MLC.

  • The graduation rate at MLC is higher than Saint Bonaventure University (73% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Saint Bonaventure University earn on average $10,800 more per year than MLC graduates after ten years. ($48,800 vs. $38,000)
  • Martin Luther College students graduate with a $3,875 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Bona graduates. ($23,125 vs. $27,000)
  • MLC graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than St. Bona graduates. ($239 vs. $279)
  • More MLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Bona students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 72%)

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