St. Cloud State University vs. Ripon College

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

 St. Cloud State University Ripon College
Location Saint Cloud, MN Ripon, WI
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 10,420 766
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #710
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stcloudstate.edu ripon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 St. Cloud State University Ripon College
Tuition (In State) $8,811 $49,300
Tuition (Out of State) $18,695 $49,300
Room & Board $9,950 $9,490
Avg Net Price $14,065 $21,999
Avg Grant Aid $6,042 $38,826
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 St. Cloud State University Ripon College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,810 2,142
Admitted 4,583 1,742
Acceptance Rate 95.3% 81.3%
Enrolled % 16.8% 11.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 20/27
SAT Range 1027/1200 940/1160
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. Cloud State University Ripon College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • History (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

 St. Cloud State University Ripon College
Graduation Rate 48% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,700 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $289

Diversity

 St. Cloud State University Ripon College
% Men 43% 51%
% Women 57% 49%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 83%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 St. Cloud State University Ripon College
% In-State 75% 63%
% Out-of-State 11% 35%

Campus

 St. Cloud State University Ripon College
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 Ripon College based on total student enrollment (10,420 students vs. 766 students)

St. Cloud State University vs. Ripon College Cost Comparison

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

  • Ripon College is 459.5% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($49,300.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 163.7% higher at Ripon College than Saint Cloud State University ($49,300.00 vs. $18,695.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than Ripon College ($14,065 vs. $21,999)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ripon College are 4.8% lower than costs at Saint Cloud State University ($9,490 vs. $9,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ripon College than Saint Cloud State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ripon College students is 542.6% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($38,826 vs. $6,042)

St. Cloud State University vs. Ripon College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ripon College (1105) is 75 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming Ripon College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Ripon College students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Ripon College (81.3%)

St. Cloud State University vs. Ripon College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Ripon College is higher than Saint Cloud State University (70% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Ripon College earn on average $2,500 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $46,700)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Ripon College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $28,000)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Ripon College graduates. ($232 vs. $289)
  • More Ripon College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 67%)

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