St. Cloud State University vs. Jackson State University

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

St. Cloud State University Jackson State University
Location Saint Cloud, MN Jackson, MS
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 10,420 6,906
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #710 #961
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stcloudstate.edu jsums.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St. Cloud State University Jackson State University
Tuition (In State) $8,811 $8,270
Tuition (Out of State) $18,695 $8,270
Room & Board $9,950 $10,445
Avg Net Price $14,065 $15,292
Avg Grant Aid $6,042 $8,694
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 86%

Admission

St. Cloud State University Jackson State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,810 12,583
Admitted 4,583 11,153
Acceptance Rate 95.3% 88.6%
Enrolled % 16.8% 10.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 16/21
SAT Range 1027/1200 1073/1210
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

St. Cloud State University Jackson State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

St. Cloud State University Jackson State University
Graduation Rate 48% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,700 $32,800
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $29,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $299

Diversity

St. Cloud State University Jackson State University
% Men 43% 33%
% Women 57% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 73% 4%
% Black 7% 92%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

St. Cloud State University Jackson State University
% In-State 75% 27%
% Out-of-State 11% 72%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Cloud State University is larger than than Jackson State University based on total student enrollment (10,420 students vs. 6,906 students)

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

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

  • Saint Cloud State University is 6.5% more expensive to attend than Jackson State University for in-state tuition ($8,811.00 vs. $8,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 126.1% higher at St. Cloud State University than Jackson State University ($18,695.00 vs. $8,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than Jackson State University ($14,065 vs. $15,292)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 5% lower than costs at Jackson State University ($9,950 vs. $10,445)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Cloud State University than Jackson State University (98% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Jackson State University students is 43.9% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($8,694 vs. $6,042)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at Saint Cloud State University (1030) is 120 points higher than at Jackson State University (910)
  • Incoming St. Cloud State University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Jackson State University (19)
  • Accepted freshman St. Cloud State University students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Jackson State University (3.1)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Jackson State University (88.6%)

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

Which is better, St. Cloud State University or Jackson 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 Jackson State University and St. Cloud State University.

  • The graduation rate at St. Cloud State University is higher than Jackson State University (48% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Saint Cloud State University earn on average $13,900 more per year than Jackson State University graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $32,800)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Jackson State University graduates. ($22,500 vs. $29,000)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Jackson State University graduates. ($232 vs. $299)
  • More St. Cloud State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Jackson State University students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 36%)

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