St. Cloud State University vs. USD

Should I go to Saint Cloud State University or University of South Dakota? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if St. Cloud State University or USD 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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South Dakota State University Minnesota State University-Mankato University of Minnesota-Duluth Winona State University MSU Moorhead University of St Thomas University of North Dakota NDSU Black Hills State University Nebraska Minnesota Augustana
Saint Cloud State University vs. University of South Dakota comparison
Saint Cloud State University University of South Dakota College 3 College 4
Saint Cloud State University University of South Dakota
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Overview

 St. Cloud State University USD
Location Saint Cloud, MN Vermillion, SD
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 10,514 9,868
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #622 #576
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stcloudstate.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 St. Cloud State University USD
Tuition (In State) $8,811 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $8,811 $11,283
Room & Board $9,630 $9,060
Avg Net Price $14,648 $18,466
Avg Grant Aid $7,348 $5,580
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 81%

Admission

 St. Cloud State University USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,026 5,349
Admitted 4,772 5,293
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 99%
Enrolled % 18.8% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/25
SAT Range 970/1280 1110/1330
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 USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

 St. Cloud State University USD
Graduation Rate 48% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,700 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $258

Diversity

 St. Cloud State University USD
% Men 8% 12%
% Women 12% 16%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 85%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 St. Cloud State University USD
% In-State 75% 53%
% Out-of-State 11% 41%

Campus

 St. Cloud State University USD
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 USD based on total student enrollment (10,514 students vs. 9,868 students)

St. Cloud State University vs. USD Cost Comparison

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

  • Saint Cloud State University is 13.4% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($8,811.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.1% higher at USD than Saint Cloud State University ($11,283.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than USD ($14,648 vs. $18,466)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 6.3% lower than costs at Saint Cloud State University ($9,060 vs. $9,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Dakota than Saint Cloud State University (81% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Cloud State University students is 31.7% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($7,348 vs. $5,580)

St. Cloud State University vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Dakota (1049) is 19 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming USD students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99%) than St. Cloud State University (94.9%)

St. Cloud State University vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at St. Cloud State University is higher than University of South Dakota (48% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of South Dakota earn on average $1,500 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($48,200 vs. $46,700)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,000)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($232 vs. $258)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 67%)

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