Simpson College vs. Saint Benedict

Should I go to Simpson College or College of Saint Benedict? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Simpson College or Saint Benedict 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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Simpson College vs. College of Saint Benedict comparison
Simpson College College of Saint Benedict College 3 College 4
Simpson College College of Saint Benedict
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Overview

 Simpson College Saint Benedict
Location Indianola, IA Saint Joseph, MN
Setting Distant Town Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,151 1,470
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #287
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu csbsju.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Simpson College Saint Benedict
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $50,950
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $50,950
Room & Board $9,654 $11,922
Avg Net Price $23,185 $28,746
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $37,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Simpson College Saint Benedict
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 1,689
Admitted 1,398 1,483
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 87.8%
Enrolled % 21.6% 21.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 20/27
SAT Range 890/1280 1055/1245
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

 Simpson College Saint Benedict
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • English and Literature (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • General Studies (10%)

Outcomes

 Simpson College Saint Benedict
Graduation Rate 69% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,343
Median Loan Payment $279 $272

Diversity

 Simpson College Saint Benedict
% Men 48% 0%
% Women 52% 100%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 79%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Simpson College Saint Benedict
% In-State 67% 84%
% Out-of-State 32% 13%

Campus

 Simpson College Saint Benedict
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • College of Saint Benedict is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (1,470 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Saint Benedict Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or Saint Benedict?

  • College of Saint Benedict is 15.3% more expensive to attend than Simpson College for in-state tuition ($50,950.00 vs. $44,202.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.3% higher at Saint Benedict than Simpson College ($50,950.00 vs. $44,202.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Saint Benedict ($23,185 vs. $28,746)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 23.5% lower than costs at College of Saint Benedict ($9,654 vs. $11,922)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as College of Saint Benedict (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Saint Benedict students is 3.8% larger than aid received Simpson College ($37,252 vs. $35,898)

Simpson College vs. Saint Benedict Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Simpson College or Saint Benedict? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Saint Benedict or Simpson College .

  • The average SAT score at College of Saint Benedict (1118) is 14 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming Saint Benedict students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Simpson College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Saint Benedict students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Simpson College (3.62)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Saint Benedict (87.8%)

Simpson College vs. Saint Benedict Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or Saint Benedict? 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 Saint Benedict and Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Benedict is higher than Simpson College (81% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from College of Saint Benedict earn on average $5,700 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $48,000)
  • College of Saint Benedict students graduate with a $657 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($26,343 vs. $27,000)
  • Saint Benedict graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($272 vs. $279)
  • More Saint Benedict graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Simpson College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 77%)

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