St. Cloud State University vs. UNK

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

 St. Cloud State University UNK
Location Saint Cloud, MN Kearney, NE
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 10,420 6,041
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #710 #571
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stcloudstate.edu unk.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 St. Cloud State University UNK
Tuition (In State) $8,811 $6,220
Tuition (Out of State) $18,695 $12,036
Room & Board $9,950 $11,390
Avg Net Price $14,065 $16,564
Avg Grant Aid $6,042 $7,282
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 St. Cloud State University UNK
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,810 6,794
Admitted 4,583 5,842
Acceptance Rate 95.3% 86%
Enrolled % 16.8% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.24
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/25
SAT Range 1027/1200 1000/1200
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 St. Cloud State University UNK
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 St. Cloud State University UNK
Graduation Rate 48% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,700 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $21,250
Median Loan Payment $232 $219

Diversity

 St. Cloud State University UNK
% Men 43% 34%
% Women 57% 66%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 79%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 7% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 St. Cloud State University UNK
% In-State 75% 85%
% Out-of-State 11% 11%

Campus

 St. Cloud State University UNK
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 UNK based on total student enrollment (10,420 students vs. 6,041 students)

St. Cloud State University vs. UNK Cost Comparison

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

  • Saint Cloud State University is 41.7% more expensive to attend than UNK for in-state tuition ($8,811.00 vs. $6,220.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.3% higher at St. Cloud State University than University of Nebraska at Kearney ($18,695.00 vs. $12,036.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than UNK ($14,065 vs. $16,564)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 14.5% lower than costs at University of Nebraska at Kearney ($9,950 vs. $11,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nebraska at Kearney than Saint Cloud State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Nebraska at Kearney students is 20.5% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($7,282 vs. $6,042)

St. Cloud State University vs. UNK Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Nebraska at Kearney (1049) is 19 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming UNK 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 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at UNK (3.24)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than UNK (86%)

St. Cloud State University vs. UNK Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNK is higher than Saint Cloud State University (61% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Saint Cloud State University earn on average $3,300 more per year than UNK graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $43,400)
  • University of Nebraska at Kearney students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($21,250 vs. $22,500)
  • UNK graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($219 vs. $232)
  • More UNK 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/