Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. St. Cloud State University

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

Minnesota State University-Mankato St. Cloud State University
Location Mankato, MN Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 14,709 10,514
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #804 #622
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mnsu.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Minnesota State University-Mankato St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $8,356 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $17,726 $8,811
Room & Board $11,224 $9,630
Avg Net Price $17,227 $14,648
Avg Grant Aid $5,798 $7,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 74%

Admission

Minnesota State University-Mankato St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,974 5,026
Admitted 8,196 4,772
Acceptance Rate 91.3% 94.9%
Enrolled % 29.4% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 18/25
SAT Range 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

Minnesota State University-Mankato St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Minnesota State University-Mankato St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 50% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,575 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $233 $232

Diversity

Minnesota State University-Mankato St. Cloud State University
% Men 4% 8%
% Women 9% 12%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 73%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Minnesota State University-Mankato St. Cloud State University
% In-State 77% 75%
% Out-of-State 15% 11%

Campus

Minnesota State University-Mankato St. Cloud 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

  • Minnesota State University Mankato is larger than than St. Cloud State University based on total student enrollment (14,709 students vs. 10,514 students)

Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Minnesota State University-Mankato or St. Cloud State University?

  • Saint Cloud State University is 5.4% more expensive to attend than Minnesota State University-Mankato for in-state tuition ($8,811.00 vs. $8,356.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 101.2% higher at Minnesota State University-Mankato than Saint Cloud State University ($17,726.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than Minnesota State University-Mankato ($14,648 vs. $17,227)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 16.6% lower than costs at Minnesota State University Mankato ($9,630 vs. $11,224)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Cloud State University than Minnesota State University Mankato (74% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Cloud State University students is 26.7% larger than aid received Minnesota State University Mankato ($7,348 vs. $5,798)

Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Minnesota State University-Mankato 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 Minnesota State University-Mankato .

  • The average SAT score at Minnesota State University Mankato (1030) is the same at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming Minnesota State University-Mankato students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman St. Cloud State University students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Minnesota State University-Mankato (3.37)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Minnesota State University-Mankato (91.3%)

Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Minnesota State University-Mankato 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 Minnesota State University-Mankato.

  • The graduation rate at Minnesota State University-Mankato is higher than Saint Cloud State University (50% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Saint Cloud State University earn on average $400 more per year than Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $46,300)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $75 lower median federal student loan debt than Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates. ($22,500 vs. $22,575)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates. ($232 vs. $233)
  • More Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 67%)

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