Northwestern College vs. St. Cloud State University

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

 Northwestern College St. Cloud State University
Location Orange City, IA Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,651 10,420
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #638 #710
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwciowa.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwestern College St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $34,000 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $34,000 $18,695
Room & Board $10,200 $9,950
Avg Net Price $25,198 $14,065
Avg Grant Aid $22,228 $6,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 Northwestern College St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,105 4,810
Admitted 965 4,583
Acceptance Rate 87.3% 95.3%
Enrolled % 29.8% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 18/24
SAT Range 940/1240 1027/1200
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 15, 2025

Academics

 Northwestern College St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 Northwestern College St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 66% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,092 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $259 $232

Diversity

 Northwestern College St. Cloud State University
% Men 39% 43%
% Women 61% 57%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 73%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Northwestern College St. Cloud State University
% In-State 55% 75%
% Out-of-State 42% 11%

Campus

 Northwestern College St. Cloud 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

  • Saint Cloud State University is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (10,420 students vs. 1,651 students)

Northwestern College vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or St. Cloud State University?

  • Northwestern College is 285.9% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($34,000.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81.9% higher at Northwestern College than Saint Cloud State University ($34,000.00 vs. $18,695.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than Northwestern College ($14,065 vs. $25,198)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 2.5% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($9,950 vs. $10,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Saint Cloud State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 267.9% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($22,228 vs. $6,042)

Northwestern College vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1141) is 111 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Northwestern College (87.3%)

Northwestern College vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern College 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 Northwestern College.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Saint Cloud State University (66% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Saint Cloud State University earn on average $8,300 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $38,400)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $2,592 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,092)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern College graduates. ($232 vs. $259)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 67%)

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