St. Ambrose University vs. St. Cloud State University

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

St. Ambrose University St. Cloud State University
Location Davenport, IA Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 2,747 10,420
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #402 #710
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sau.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St. Ambrose University St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $34,290 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $34,290 $18,695
Room & Board $11,988 $9,950
Avg Net Price $23,359 $14,065
Avg Grant Aid $25,476 $6,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

St. Ambrose University St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,589 4,810
Admitted 2,653 4,583
Acceptance Rate 73.9% 95.3%
Enrolled % 17.3% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 18/24
SAT Range 1020/1240 1027/1200
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

St. Ambrose University St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

St. Ambrose University St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 62% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,764 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $266 $232

Diversity

St. Ambrose University St. Cloud State University
% Men 42% 43%
% Women 58% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 73%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

St. Ambrose University St. Cloud State University
% In-State 33% 75%
% Out-of-State 64% 11%

Campus

St. Ambrose University St. Cloud State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Cloud State University is larger than than St. Ambrose University based on total student enrollment (10,420 students vs. 2,747 students)

St. Ambrose University vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

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

  • Saint Ambrose University is 289.2% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($34,290.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.4% higher at St. Ambrose University than Saint Cloud State University ($34,290.00 vs. $18,695.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than St. Ambrose University ($14,065 vs. $23,359)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 20.5% lower than costs at Saint Ambrose University ($9,950 vs. $11,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Ambrose University than Saint Cloud State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Ambrose University students is 321.6% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($25,476 vs. $6,042)

St. Ambrose University vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Ambrose University 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 St. Ambrose University .

  • The average SAT score at Saint Ambrose University (1050) is 20 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming St. Ambrose University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman St. Cloud State University students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at St. Ambrose University (3.39)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than St. Ambrose University (73.9%)

St. Ambrose University vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Ambrose University 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 St. Ambrose University .

  • The graduation rate at St. Ambrose University is higher than Saint Cloud State University (62% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Saint Ambrose University earn on average $1,600 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $46,700)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $3,264 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,764)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($232 vs. $266)
  • More St. Ambrose University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 67%)

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