SCU vs. St Olaf

Should I go to Santa Clara University or St Olaf College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SCU or St Olaf 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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Santa Clara University vs. St Olaf College comparison
Santa Clara University St Olaf College College 3 College 4
Santa Clara University St Olaf College
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Overview

SCU St Olaf
Location Santa Clara, CA Northfield, MN
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 9,178 3,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #62 #156
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) $56,880 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $56,880 $54,650
Room & Board $17,112 $12,450
Avg Net Price $50,551 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $25,295 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 99%

Admission

SCU St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,650 5,524
Admitted 8,677 3,116
Acceptance Rate 52.1% 56.4%
Enrolled % 18.9% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33 28/33
SAT Range 1290/1480 1300/1480
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, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

SCU St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

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 50% 42%
% Women 50% 58%
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 (9,178 students vs. 3,046 students)

SCU vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCU or St Olaf?

  • Santa Clara University is 4.1% more expensive to attend than St Olaf for in-state tuition ($56,880.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at SCU than St Olaf College ($56,880.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than SCU ($26,171 vs. $50,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 37.4% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($12,450 vs. $17,112)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Santa Clara University (99% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 59.7% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($40,399 vs. $25,295)

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 (56.4%) than SCU (52.1%)

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/