St. Cloud State University vs. CNU

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

 St. Cloud State University CNU
Location Saint Cloud, MN Newport News, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 10,514 4,503
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #622 #418
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stcloudstate.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 St. Cloud State University CNU
Tuition (In State) $8,811 $10,001
Tuition (Out of State) $8,811 $24,238
Room & Board $9,630 $12,360
Avg Net Price $14,648 $22,864
Avg Grant Aid $7,348 $9,141
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 65%

Admission

 St. Cloud State University CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,026 7,062
Admitted 4,772 6,212
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 88%
Enrolled % 18.8% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.79
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 23/29
SAT Range 970/1280 1100/1300
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 St. Cloud State University CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

 St. Cloud State University CNU
Graduation Rate 48% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,700 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $258

Diversity

 St. Cloud State University CNU
% Men 8% 1%
% Women 12% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 74%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 7% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 St. Cloud State University CNU
% In-State 75% 93%
% Out-of-State 11% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Cloud State University is larger than than CNU based on total student enrollment (10,514 students vs. 4,503 students)

St. Cloud State University vs. CNU Cost Comparison

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

  • Christopher Newport University is 13.5% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($10,001.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 175.1% higher at CNU than Saint Cloud State University ($24,238.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than CNU ($14,648 vs. $22,864)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 28.3% lower than costs at Christopher Newport University ($9,630 vs. $12,360)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Cloud State University than Christopher Newport University (74% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Christopher Newport University students is 24.4% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($9,141 vs. $7,348)

St. Cloud State University vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Cloud State University or CNU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CNU or St. Cloud State University .

  • The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 125 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming CNU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than CNU (88%)

St. Cloud State University vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Cloud State University or CNU? 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 CNU and St. Cloud State University.

  • The graduation rate at CNU is higher than Saint Cloud State University (63% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Christopher Newport University earn on average $400 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($47,100 vs. $46,700)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than CNU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,000)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than CNU graduates. ($232 vs. $258)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 67%)

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