MSU Moorhead vs. St Olaf

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

MSU Moorhead St Olaf
Location Moorhead, MN Northfield, MN
Setting Midsize Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 4,682 3,046
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #608 #156
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mnstate.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MSU Moorhead St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $8,838 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $17,674 $54,650
Room & Board $10,104 $12,450
Avg Net Price $17,939 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $6,905 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 99%

Admission

MSU Moorhead St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,898 5,524
Admitted 2,207 3,116
Acceptance Rate 56.6% 56.4%
Enrolled % 28.6% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24 28/33
SAT Range 1080/1290 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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

MSU Moorhead St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

MSU Moorhead St Olaf
Graduation Rate 45% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,400 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,276 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $230 $279

Diversity

MSU Moorhead St Olaf
% Men 35% 42%
% Women 65% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 75%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 7% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

MSU Moorhead St Olaf
% In-State 68% 47%
% Out-of-State 28% 43%

Campus

MSU Moorhead St Olaf
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Minnesota State University Moorhead is larger than than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (4,682 students vs. 3,046 students)

MSU Moorhead vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU Moorhead or St Olaf?

  • St Olaf College is 518.4% more expensive to attend than MSU Moorhead for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $8,838.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 209.2% higher at St Olaf than Minnesota State University Moorhead ($54,650.00 vs. $17,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minnesota State University Moorhead than St Olaf ($17,939 vs. $26,171)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minnesota State University Moorhead are 23.2% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($10,104 vs. $12,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Minnesota State University Moorhead (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 485.1% larger than aid received Minnesota State University Moorhead ($40,399 vs. $6,905)

MSU Moorhead vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 233 points higher than at MSU Moorhead (1049)
  • Incoming St Olaf students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at MSU Moorhead (23)
  • Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at MSU Moorhead (3.52)
  • MSU Moorhead has a higher acceptance rate (56.6%) than St Olaf (56.4%)

MSU Moorhead vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU Moorhead 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 MSU Moorhead.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Minnesota State University Moorhead (85% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from St Olaf College earn on average $11,300 more per year than MSU Moorhead graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $42,400)
  • Minnesota State University Moorhead students graduate with a $4,724 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($22,276 vs. $27,000)
  • MSU Moorhead graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MSU Moorhead students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 65%)

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