St Olaf vs. Kenyon

Deciding between St Olaf College and Kenyon College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

St Olaf College
Kenyon College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • St Olaf Northfield, MN
  • Kenyon Gambier, OH
  • Setting
  • St Olaf Distant Town
  • Kenyon Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • St Olaf 3,124
  • Kenyon 2,249
  • Type
  • St Olaf Private 4 Year
  • Kenyon Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • St Olaf #143
  • Kenyon #62
  • Religious Affiliation
  • St Olaf Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Kenyon -
  • Status
  • St Olaf Non-profit
  • Kenyon Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • St Olaf
  • Kenyon

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • St Olaf $59,760
  • Kenyon $71,520
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • St Olaf $59,760
  • Kenyon $71,520
  • Room & Board
  • St Olaf $13,630
  • Kenyon $15,640
  • Average Net Price
  • St Olaf $26,756
  • Kenyon $46,859
  • Average Grant Aid
  • St Olaf $45,098
  • Kenyon $40,731
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • St Olaf 100%
  • Kenyon 82%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • St Olaf 6,623
  • Kenyon 7,726
  • Admitted
  • St Olaf 3,200
  • Kenyon 2,397
  • Acceptance Rate
  • St Olaf 48.3%
  • Kenyon 31%
  • Enrolled
  • St Olaf 26.8%
  • Kenyon 18.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • St Olaf 1390
  • Kenyon 1430
  • Typical ACT score
  • St Olaf 30
  • Kenyon 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • St Olaf 3.68
  • Kenyon 3.84
  • Typical High School Grades
  • St Olaf A-
  • Kenyon A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • St Olaf Very High
  • Kenyon Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • St Olaf Low
  • Kenyon High
  • ACT Range
  • St Olaf 28/32
  • Kenyon 31/33
  • SAT Range
  • St Olaf 1300/1470
  • Kenyon 1358/1503
  • Submit Test Scores
  • St Olaf Test optional
  • Kenyon Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • St Olaf Jan 15, 2027
  • Kenyon Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • St Olaf 11:1
  • Kenyon 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • St Olaf
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Physical Sciences (8%)
    • Mathematics (8%)
  • Kenyon
    • Social Sciences (22%)
    • English and Literature (17%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Foreign Languages (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • St Olaf 85%
  • Kenyon 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • St Olaf $53,700
  • Kenyon $52,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • St Olaf 91%
  • Kenyon 87%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • St Olaf $27,000
  • Kenyon $19,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • St Olaf $279
  • Kenyon $196

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • St Olaf 42%
  • Kenyon 44%
  • % Women
  • St Olaf 58%
  • Kenyon 56%
  • Racial Diversity
  • St Olaf Low
  • Kenyon Low
  • HBCU
  • St Olaf No
  • Kenyon No
  • % White
  • St Olaf 75%
  • Kenyon 73%
  • % Asian
  • St Olaf 6%
  • Kenyon 4%
  • % Black
  • St Olaf 2%
  • Kenyon 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • St Olaf 5%
  • Kenyon 7%
  • % Native American
  • St Olaf 0%
  • Kenyon 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • St Olaf 0%
  • Kenyon 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • St Olaf 4%
  • Kenyon 4%
  • % International
  • St Olaf 7%
  • Kenyon 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • St Olaf 1%
  • Kenyon 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • St Olaf 44%
  • Kenyon 12%
  • % Out-of-State
  • St Olaf 42%
  • Kenyon 78%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • St Olaf Yes
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • St Olaf No
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • St Olaf Yes
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • St Olaf No
  • Kenyon No
  • Daycare Facility
  • St Olaf No
  • Kenyon No

Comparable Facts

Compare St Olaf College in Northfield, MN with Kenyon College in Gambier, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

St Olaf College is larger than Kenyon based on total student enrollment (3,124 students vs. 2,249 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • St Olaf College is located in Northfield, MN (Distant Town setting); Kenyon College is in Gambier, OH (Distant Rural setting).
  • St Olaf College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Kenyon College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: St Olaf College 11:1; Kenyon College 9:1.

St Olaf vs. Kenyon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or Kenyon? 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 Olaf College than Kenyon ($26,756 vs. $46,859).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 12.9% lower than at Kenyon College ($13,630 vs. $15,640).
  • Kenyon College is 19.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than St Olaf (about $11,760 more per year; $71,520.00 vs. $59,760.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 19.7% higher at Kenyon than at St Olaf College (about $11,760 more per year; $71,520.00 vs. $59,760.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at St Olaf College than at Kenyon College (100% vs. 82%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 10.7% larger than aid received by Kenyon College students ($45,098 vs. $40,731).

St Olaf vs. Kenyon Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf or Kenyon? 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 Kenyon and St Olaf.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Kenyon College (1430) is 40 points higher than at St Olaf (1390).
  • Incoming Kenyon students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 30 at St Olaf).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St Olaf College 1300/1470; Kenyon College 1358/1503.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St Olaf College 28/32; Kenyon College 31/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St Olaf - Test optional; Kenyon - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: St Olaf Jan 15, 2027; Kenyon Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Kenyon students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at St Olaf (3.68).
  • St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (48.3%) than Kenyon (31%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 26.8% at St Olaf vs. 18.3% at Kenyon.

St Olaf vs. Kenyon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St Olaf and Kenyon? 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).

  • Kenyon College's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than St Olaf College's (85%).
  • Graduates from St Olaf College earn a median of about $800 more per year than Kenyon graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,700 vs. $52,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Kenyon College graduates have a $8,000 lower median loan debt than St Olaf graduates ($19,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Kenyon graduates have an estimated $83 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St Olaf graduates ($196 vs. $279).
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kenyon students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 87%)

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.