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Loyola Marymount Carleton College USD Oxy UCSC Pepperdine UC Davis USF SMU Chapman San Jose State Cal Poly| Santa Clara University | St Olaf College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
SCU | St Olaf | ||
| Location | Santa Clara, CA | Northfield, MN | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 9,340 | 3,074 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #54 | #161 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | scu.edu | stolaf.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SCU | St Olaf | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,587 | $56,970 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,587 | $56,970 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,984 | $13,000 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $49,651 | $27,282 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $28,375 | $41,918 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 100% |
Admission |
SCU | St Olaf | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 18,843 | 5,956 | ||
| Admitted | 8,261 | 3,106 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 43.8% | 52.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.8% | 26.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.67 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 30/33 | 28/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1340/1500 | 1260/1470 | ||
| 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 | Jan 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
SCU | St Olaf | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
SCU | St Olaf | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 85% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $81,900 | $53,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 91% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,500 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $222 | $279 |
Diversity |
SCU | St Olaf | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 18% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 49% | 75% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 17% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
SCU | St Olaf | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 50% | 47% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 43% | ||
Campus |
SCU | St Olaf | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Santa Clara University is larger than than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (9,340 students vs. 3,074 students)
SCU vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SCU or St Olaf?
- Santa Clara University is 2.8% more expensive to attend than St Olaf for in-state tuition ($58,587.00 vs. $56,970.00)
- Out of state tuition is 2.8% higher at SCU than St Olaf College ($58,587.00 vs. $56,970.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than SCU ($27,282 vs. $49,651)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 46% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($13,000 vs. $18,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Santa Clara University (100% vs. 73%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 47.7% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($41,918 vs. $28,375)
SCU vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, SCU or St Olaf? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between St Olaf or SCU .
- The average SAT score at Santa Clara University (1313) is 31 points higher than at St Olaf (1282)
- Incoming SCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at St Olaf (29)
- Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at SCU (3.67)
- St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (52.1%) than SCU (43.8%)
SCU vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SCU or St Olaf? 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 St Olaf and SCU.
- The graduation rate at SCU is the same as at St Olaf College (85% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $28,200 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $53,700)
- Santa Clara University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
- SCU graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
- More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCU students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 84%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/