MSU Moorhead vs. St. Cloud State University

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

MSU Moorhead St. Cloud State University
Location Moorhead, MN Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Midsize Suburban Small City
Enrollment 4,682 10,420
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #608 #710
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mnstate.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MSU Moorhead St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $8,838 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $17,674 $18,695
Room & Board $10,104 $9,950
Avg Net Price $17,939 $14,065
Avg Grant Aid $6,905 $6,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 98%

Admission

MSU Moorhead St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,898 4,810
Admitted 2,207 4,583
Acceptance Rate 56.6% 95.3%
Enrolled % 28.6% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 1080/1290 1027/1200
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, 2025

Academics

MSU Moorhead St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

MSU Moorhead St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 45% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,400 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,276 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $230 $232

Diversity

MSU Moorhead St. Cloud State University
% Men 35% 43%
% Women 65% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 73%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

MSU Moorhead St. Cloud State University
% In-State 68% 75%
% Out-of-State 28% 11%

Campus

MSU Moorhead 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

  • Saint Cloud State University is larger than than MSU Moorhead based on total student enrollment (10,420 students vs. 4,682 students)

MSU Moorhead vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU Moorhead or St. Cloud State University?

  • Minnesota State University Moorhead is 0.3% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($8,838.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.8% higher at St. Cloud State University than Minnesota State University Moorhead ($18,695.00 vs. $17,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than MSU Moorhead ($14,065 vs. $17,939)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 1.5% lower than costs at Minnesota State University Moorhead ($9,950 vs. $10,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Cloud State University than Minnesota State University Moorhead (98% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Minnesota State University Moorhead students is 14.3% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($6,905 vs. $6,042)

MSU Moorhead vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MSU Moorhead 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 MSU Moorhead .

  • The average SAT score at Minnesota State University Moorhead (1049) is 19 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming MSU Moorhead students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman MSU Moorhead students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than MSU Moorhead (56.6%)

MSU Moorhead vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU Moorhead 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 MSU Moorhead.

  • The graduation rate at St. Cloud State University is higher than Minnesota State University Moorhead (48% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Saint Cloud State University earn on average $4,300 more per year than MSU Moorhead graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $42,400)
  • Minnesota State University Moorhead students graduate with a $224 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($22,276 vs. $22,500)
  • MSU Moorhead graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($230 vs. $232)
  • More St. Cloud State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MSU Moorhead students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 65%)

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