St Cloud Technical and Community College vs. Ridgewater College

Comparable Facts

Compare St Cloud Technical and Community College in Saint Cloud, MN with Ridgewater College in Willmar, MN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

St Cloud Technical and Community College is larger than Ridgewater College based on total student enrollment (4,030 students vs. 3,148 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• St Cloud Technical and Community College is located in Saint Cloud, MN (Small City setting); Ridgewater College is in Willmar, MN (Remote Town setting).
• St Cloud Technical and Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Ridgewater College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St Cloud Technical and Community College 23:1; Ridgewater College 19:1.

St Cloud Technical and Community College vs. Ridgewater College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St Cloud Technical and Community College or Ridgewater College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Cloud Technical and Community College than Ridgewater College ($8,948 vs. $9,448).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Cloud Technical and Community College are 7% lower than at Ridgewater College ($9,680 vs. $10,408).
• St Cloud Technical and Community College is 0% more expensive for in-state tuition than Ridgewater College (about $3 more per year; $6,124.00 vs. $6,121.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0% higher at St Cloud Technical and Community College than at Ridgewater College (about $3 more per year; $6,124.00 vs. $6,121.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Ridgewater College than at St Cloud Technical and Community College (62% vs. 58%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Ridgewater College students is 13.5% larger than aid received by St Cloud Technical and Community College students ($6,437 vs. $5,672).

St Cloud Technical and Community College vs. Ridgewater College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St Cloud Technical and Community College or Ridgewater College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Ridgewater College and St Cloud Technical and Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St Cloud Technical and Community College - Open admission; Ridgewater College - Open admission.

St Cloud Technical and Community College vs. Ridgewater College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St Cloud Technical and Community College and Ridgewater College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from St Cloud Technical and Community College earn a median of about $4,900 more per year than Ridgewater College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,100 vs. $35,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Ridgewater College and St Cloud Technical and Community College graduates have the same median loan debt ($12,000 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Ridgewater College and St Cloud Technical and Community College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($124 vs. $124).
• More Ridgewater College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St Cloud Technical and Community College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.