St. Cloud State University vs. CofC

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

 St. Cloud State University CofC
Location Saint Cloud, MN Charleston, SC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 10,514 11,729
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #622 #435
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stcloudstate.edu cofc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 St. Cloud State University CofC
Tuition (In State) $8,811 $12,518
Tuition (Out of State) $8,811 $36,398
Room & Board $9,630 $14,032
Avg Net Price $14,648 $20,806
Avg Grant Aid $7,348 $9,811
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 81%

Admission

 St. Cloud State University CofC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,026 26,683
Admitted 4,772 19,212
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 72%
Enrolled % 18.8% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.94
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25 24/29
SAT Range 970/1280 1130/1300
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, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 St. Cloud State University CofC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

 St. Cloud State University CofC
Graduation Rate 48% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,700 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $222

Diversity

 St. Cloud State University CofC
% Men 8% 2%
% Women 12% 7%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 80%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 St. Cloud State University CofC
% In-State 75% 38%
% Out-of-State 11% 61%

Campus

 St. Cloud State University CofC
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

  • College of Charleston is larger than than St. Cloud State University based on total student enrollment (11,729 students vs. 10,514 students)

St. Cloud State University vs. CofC Cost Comparison

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

  • College of Charleston is 42.1% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($12,518.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 313.1% higher at CofC than Saint Cloud State University ($36,398.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than CofC ($14,648 vs. $20,806)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 45.7% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($9,630 vs. $14,032)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Charleston than Saint Cloud State University (81% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Charleston students is 33.5% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($9,811 vs. $7,348)

St. Cloud State University vs. CofC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Charleston (1141) is 111 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming CofC students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.54 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than CofC (72%)

St. Cloud State University vs. CofC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at CofC is higher than Saint Cloud State University (63% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Saint Cloud State University earn on average $500 more per year than CofC graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $46,200)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,500)
  • CofC graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($222 vs. $232)
  • More St. Cloud State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CofC students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 60%)

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