PLNU vs. St. Kate's

Should I go to Point Loma Nazarene University or St Catherine University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PLNU or St. Kate's 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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Point Loma Nazarene University vs. St Catherine University comparison
Point Loma Nazarene University St Catherine University College 3 College 4
Point Loma Nazarene University St Catherine University
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Overview

 PLNU St. Kate's
Location San Diego, CA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 4,494 3,533
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #252 #282
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pointloma.edu stkate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 PLNU St. Kate's
Tuition (In State) $42,600 $48,864
Tuition (Out of State) $42,600 $48,864
Room & Board $12,850 $11,636
Avg Net Price $36,370 $22,357
Avg Grant Aid $20,277 $36,206
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 99%

Admission

 PLNU St. Kate's
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,065 1,703
Admitted 2,506 1,602
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 94.1%
Enrolled % 26.2% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.62
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 18/26
SAT Range 1140/1410 1155/1450
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 PLNU St. Kate's
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Health Professions (51%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Human Services (5%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 PLNU St. Kate's
Graduation Rate 72% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $50,100
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $289

Diversity

 PLNU St. Kate's
% Men 9% 3%
% Women 21% 28%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 64%
% Black 2% 9%
% Hispanic 23% 7%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 PLNU St. Kate's
% In-State 70% 83%
% Out-of-State 29% 17%

Campus

 PLNU St. Kate's
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

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is larger than than St. Kate's based on total student enrollment (4,494 students vs. 3,533 students)

PLNU vs. St. Kate's Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PLNU or St. Kate's?

  • St Catherine University is 14.7% more expensive to attend than PLNU for in-state tuition ($48,864.00 vs. $42,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.7% higher at St. Kate's than Point Loma Nazarene University ($48,864.00 vs. $42,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Catherine University than PLNU ($22,357 vs. $36,370)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Catherine University are 10.4% lower than costs at Point Loma Nazarene University ($11,636 vs. $12,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Catherine University than Point Loma Nazarene University (99% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Catherine University students is 78.6% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($36,206 vs. $20,277)

PLNU vs. St. Kate's Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Point Loma Nazarene University (1148) is 116 points higher than at St. Kate's (1032)
  • Incoming PLNU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at St. Kate's (22)
  • Accepted freshman PLNU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at St. Kate's (3.62)
  • St. Kate's has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than PLNU (81.8%)

PLNU vs. St. Kate's Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PLNU or St. Kate's? 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. Kate's and PLNU.

  • The graduation rate at PLNU is higher than St Catherine University (72% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Point Loma Nazarene University earn on average $3,400 more per year than St. Kate's graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $50,100)
  • Point Loma Nazarene University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Kate's graduates. ($25,000 vs. $28,000)
  • PLNU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than St. Kate's graduates. ($258 vs. $289)
  • More PLNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Kate's students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 65%)

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