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MSU Moorhead Winona State University St. Cloud State University UW-Eau Claire Minnesota University of Wisconsin-Whitewater UW-La Crosse UW-Stout University of Minnesota-Duluth University of Minnesota-Crookston KU Gustavus Adolphus College| Minnesota State University Mankato | Southwest Minnesota State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Minnesota State University-Mankato | Southwest Minnesota State University | ||
| Location | Mankato, MN | Marshall, MN | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 14,590 | 6,930 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #731 | #948 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mnsu.edu | smsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Minnesota State University-Mankato | Southwest Minnesota State University | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,356 | $8,840 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,726 | $8,840 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,606 | $9,258 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,809 | $15,004 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $6,961 | $7,389 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 94% |
Admission |
Minnesota State University-Mankato | Southwest Minnesota State University | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 11,152 | 1,558 | ||
| Admitted | 7,882 | 1,427 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 91.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 29.3% | 22.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.37 | 3.21 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/24 | 17/23 | ||
| SAT Range | 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 18, 2025 |
Academics |
Minnesota State University-Mankato | Southwest Minnesota State University | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 21:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Minnesota State University-Mankato | Southwest Minnesota State University | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 39% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $46,300 | $41,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 72% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,575 | $21,678 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $233 | $224 |
Diversity |
Minnesota State University-Mankato | Southwest Minnesota State University | ||
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| % Men | 44% | 38% | ||
| % Women | 56% | 62% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 80% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
Minnesota State University-Mankato | Southwest Minnesota State University | ||
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| % In-State | 77% | 74% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 15% | 20% | ||
Campus |
Minnesota State University-Mankato | 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
- Minnesota State University Mankato is larger than than Southwest Minnesota State University based on total student enrollment (14,590 students vs. 6,930 students)
Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Minnesota State University-Mankato or Southwest Minnesota State University?
- Southwest Minnesota State University is 5.8% more expensive to attend than Minnesota State University-Mankato for in-state tuition ($8,840.00 vs. $8,356.00)
- Out of state tuition is 100.5% higher at Minnesota State University-Mankato than Southwest Minnesota State University ($17,726.00 vs. $8,840.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southwest Minnesota State University than Minnesota State University-Mankato ($15,004 vs. $16,809)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Minnesota State University are 14.6% lower than costs at Minnesota State University Mankato ($9,258 vs. $10,606)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southwest Minnesota State University than Minnesota State University Mankato (94% vs. 73%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Minnesota State University students is 6.1% larger than aid received Minnesota State University Mankato ($7,389 vs. $6,961)
Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Minnesota State University-Mankato 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 Minnesota State University-Mankato .
- The average SAT score at Minnesota State University Mankato (1030) is 22 points higher than at Southwest Minnesota State University (1008)
- Incoming Minnesota State University-Mankato students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Southwest Minnesota State University (22)
- Accepted freshman Minnesota State University-Mankato students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Southwest Minnesota State University (3.21)
- Southwest Minnesota State University has a higher acceptance rate (91.6%) than Minnesota State University-Mankato (70.7%)
Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Minnesota State University-Mankato 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 Minnesota State University-Mankato.
- The graduation rate at Minnesota State University-Mankato is higher than Southwest Minnesota State University (50% vs. 39%)
- Graduates from Minnesota State University Mankato earn on average $5,100 more per year than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates after ten years. ($46,300 vs. $41,200)
- Southwest Minnesota State University students graduate with a $897 lower median federal student loan debt than Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates. ($21,678 vs. $22,575)
- Southwest Minnesota State University graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates. ($224 vs. $233)
- More Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southwest Minnesota State University students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 66%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/