Morningside College vs. Southwest Minnesota State University

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

Morningside College Southwest Minnesota State University
Location Sioux City, IA Marshall, MN
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,249 6,930
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #948
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website morningside.edu smsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Morningside College Southwest Minnesota State University
Tuition (In State) $35,100 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $35,100 $8,840
Room & Board $10,720 $9,258
Avg Net Price $23,947 $15,004
Avg Grant Aid $25,011 $7,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

Morningside College Southwest Minnesota State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,222 1,558
Admitted 2,275 1,427
Acceptance Rate 70.6% 91.6%
Enrolled % 15.2% 22.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.21
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23
SAT Range 935/1102
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 18, 2025

Academics

Morningside College Southwest Minnesota State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Morningside College Southwest Minnesota State University
Graduation Rate 57% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,300 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,678
Median Loan Payment $279 $224

Diversity

Morningside College Southwest Minnesota State University
% Men 35% 38%
% Women 65% 62%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 80%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Morningside College Southwest Minnesota State University
% In-State 47% 74%
% Out-of-State 47% 20%

Campus

Morningside College Southwest Minnesota State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Southwest Minnesota State University is larger than than Morningside College based on total student enrollment (6,930 students vs. 2,249 students)

Morningside College vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Morningside College or Southwest Minnesota State University?

  • Morningside College is 297.1% more expensive to attend than Southwest Minnesota State University for in-state tuition ($35,100.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 297.1% higher at Morningside College than Southwest Minnesota State University ($35,100.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southwest Minnesota State University than Morningside College ($15,004 vs. $23,947)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Minnesota State University are 15.8% lower than costs at Morningside College ($9,258 vs. $10,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Morningside College than Southwest Minnesota State University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Morningside College students is 238.5% larger than aid received Southwest Minnesota State University ($25,011 vs. $7,389)

Morningside College vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Morningside College 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 Morningside College .

  • The average SAT score at Morningside College (1070) is 62 points higher than at Southwest Minnesota State University (1008)
  • Incoming Morningside College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Southwest Minnesota State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Morningside College students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Southwest Minnesota State University (3.21)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University has a higher acceptance rate (91.6%) than Morningside College (70.6%)

Morningside College vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Morningside College 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 Morningside College.

  • The graduation rate at Morningside College is higher than Southwest Minnesota State University (57% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Morningside College earn on average $4,100 more per year than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $41,200)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University students graduate with a $5,322 lower median federal student loan debt than Morningside College graduates. ($21,678 vs. $27,000)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Morningside College graduates. ($224 vs. $279)
  • More Morningside College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southwest Minnesota State University students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 66%)

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