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Carleton College Macalester College Minnesota State University-Mankato Lawrence University of St Thomas Minnesota Whitman College Oberlin Denison Wooster Luther- Norse NDSU| Minnesota State University Moorhead | St Olaf College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
MSU Moorhead | St Olaf | ||
| Location | Moorhead, MN | Northfield, MN | ||
| Setting | Midsize Suburban | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 4,410 | 3,074 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #612 | #161 | ||
| 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 | $56,970 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $8,838 | $56,970 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,594 | $13,000 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,231 | $27,282 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $6,117 | $41,918 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 92% | 100% |
Admission |
MSU Moorhead | St Olaf | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 4,654 | 5,956 | ||
| Admitted | 2,449 | 3,106 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 52.6% | 52.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 24.7% | 26.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.52 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 28/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1080/1290 | 1260/1470 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
MSU Moorhead | St Olaf | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 12:1 | ||
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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 | 6% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 0% | ||
| 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 (4,410 students vs. 3,074 students)
MSU Moorhead vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, MSU Moorhead or St Olaf?
- St Olaf College is 544.6% more expensive to attend than MSU Moorhead for in-state tuition ($56,970.00 vs. $8,838.00)
- Out of state tuition is 544.6% higher at St Olaf than Minnesota State University Moorhead ($56,970.00 vs. $8,838.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minnesota State University Moorhead than St Olaf ($18,231 vs. $27,282)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minnesota State University Moorhead are 22.7% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($10,594 vs. $13,000)
- More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Minnesota State University Moorhead (100% vs. 92%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 585.3% larger than aid received Minnesota State University Moorhead ($41,918 vs. $6,117)
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 (52.6%) than St Olaf (52.1%)
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/