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Carleton College Macalester College Lawrence University of St Thomas Minnesota Whitman College Oberlin Denison Wooster Luther- Norse Lewis and Clark Gustavus Adolphus College| Minneapolis College of Art and Design | St Olaf College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
MCAD | St Olaf | ||
| Location | Minneapolis, MN | Northfield, MN | ||
| Setting | Large City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 821 | 3,046 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #156 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mcad.edu | stolaf.edu | ||
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Costs |
MCAD | St Olaf | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $42,110 | $54,650 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,110 | $54,650 | ||
| Room & Board | $7,290 | $12,450 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $28,443 | $26,171 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $26,025 | $40,399 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
MCAD | St Olaf | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 668 | 5,524 | ||
| Admitted | 380 | 3,116 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 56.9% | 56.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 42.1% | 27.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.29 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 19/27 | 28/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1170/1380 | 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 | Apr 1, 2025 | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
MCAD | St Olaf | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
MCAD | St Olaf | ||
| Graduation Rate | 70% | 85% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $41,500 | $53,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 91% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,750 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $266 | $279 |
Diversity |
MCAD | St Olaf | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 31% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 69% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 59% | 75% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 16% | 1% |
Students |
MCAD | St Olaf | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 61% | 47% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 34% | 43% | ||
Campus |
MCAD | St Olaf | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | No | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- St Olaf College is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 821 students)
MCAD vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, MCAD or St Olaf?
- St Olaf College is 29.8% more expensive to attend than MCAD for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $42,110.00)
- Out of state tuition is 29.8% higher at St Olaf than Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($54,650.00 vs. $42,110.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than MCAD ($26,171 vs. $28,443)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 70.8% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($7,290 vs. $12,450)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than St Olaf College (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 55.2% larger than aid received Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($40,399 vs. $26,025)
MCAD vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, MCAD or St Olaf? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between St Olaf or MCAD .
- The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 186 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
- Incoming St Olaf students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at MCAD (24)
- Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at MCAD (3.29)
- MCAD has a higher acceptance rate (56.9%) than St Olaf (56.4%)
MCAD vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, MCAD 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 MCAD.
- The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Minneapolis College of Art and Design (85% vs. 70%)
- Graduates from St Olaf College earn on average $12,200 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $41,500)
- Minneapolis College of Art and Design students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($25,750 vs. $27,000)
- MCAD graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($266 vs. $279)
- More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD 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/