MSU vs. USAO

Should I go to Minot State University or University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MSU or USAO 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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Minot State University vs. University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma comparison
Minot State University University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma College 3 College 4
Minot State University University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
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Overview

 MSU USAO
Location Minot, ND Chickasha, OK
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 2,741 914
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #662
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website minotstateu.edu usao.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MSU USAO
Tuition (In State) $7,168 $6,630
Tuition (Out of State) $7,168 $17,820
Room & Board $8,058 $7,640
Avg Net Price $12,349 $8,685
Avg Grant Aid $5,569 $13,030
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 97%

Admission

 MSU USAO
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 745 1,465
Admitted 538 817
Acceptance Rate 72.2% 55.8%
Enrolled % 67.8% 33.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24 21/25
SAT Range 930/1180 1043/1188
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 Jun 30, 2026 Sep 2, 2025

Academics

 MSU USAO
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 MSU USAO
Graduation Rate 34% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,200 $36,100
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,725 N/A
Median Loan Payment $193 N/A

Diversity

 MSU USAO
% Men 3% 1%
% Women 7% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 63%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 2% 15%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 13% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 MSU USAO
% In-State 62% 92%
% Out-of-State 29% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Minot State University is larger than than USAO based on total student enrollment (2,741 students vs. 914 students)

MSU vs. USAO Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU or USAO?

  • Minot State University is 8.1% more expensive to attend than USAO for in-state tuition ($7,168.00 vs. $6,630.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 148.6% higher at USAO than Minot State University ($17,820.00 vs. $7,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma than MSU ($8,685 vs. $12,349)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma are 5.5% lower than costs at Minot State University ($7,640 vs. $8,058)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma than Minot State University (97% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma students is 134% larger than aid received Minot State University ($13,030 vs. $5,569)

MSU vs. USAO Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Minot State University (999) is the same at USAO (999)
  • Incoming MSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at USAO (22)
  • Accepted freshman USAO students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at MSU (3.42)
  • MSU has a higher acceptance rate (72.2%) than USAO (55.8%)

MSU vs. USAO Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU or USAO? 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 USAO and MSU.

  • The graduation rate at USAO is higher than Minot State University (39% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Minot State University earn on average $9,100 more per year than USAO graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $36,100)
  • More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USAO students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 54%)

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