Simpson College vs. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

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

Simpson College Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Location Indianola, IA Winona, MN
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,151 4,133
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu smumn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $40,520
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $40,520
Room & Board $9,654 $10,220
Avg Net Price $23,185 $22,843
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $30,091
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 1,071
Admitted 1,398 1,037
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 96.8%
Enrolled % 21.6% 20.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.49
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27
SAT Range 890/1280
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Simpson College Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (48%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Graduation Rate 69% 62%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $48,400
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $240

Diversity

Simpson College Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
% Men 48% 32%
% Women 52% 68%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 88% 59%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 23%

Students

Simpson College Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
% In-State 67% 51%
% Out-of-State 32% 45%

Campus

Simpson College Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Mary's University of Minnesota is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (4,133 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or Saint Mary's University of Minnesota?

  • Simpson College is 9.1% more expensive to attend than Saint Mary's University of Minnesota for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $40,520.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.1% higher at Simpson College than Saint Mary's University of Minnesota ($44,202.00 vs. $40,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota than Simpson College ($22,843 vs. $23,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 5.9% lower than costs at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota ($9,654 vs. $10,220)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 19.3% larger than aid received Saint Mary's University of Minnesota ($35,898 vs. $30,091)

Simpson College vs. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 58 points higher than at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (1046)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (23)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (3.49)
  • Saint Mary's University of Minnesota has a higher acceptance rate (96.8%) than Simpson College (89.1%)

Simpson College vs. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or Saint Mary's University of Minnesota? 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 Mary's University of Minnesota and Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (69% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota earn on average $400 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($48,400 vs. $48,000)
  • Saint Mary's University of Minnesota students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Saint Mary's University of Minnesota graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Mary's University of Minnesota students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 72%)

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