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Carleton College IIT Macalester College Lawrence University of St Thomas Minnesota Wisconsin Michigan Tech Whitman College Marquette University Oberlin Denison| St Olaf College | Milwaukee School of Engineering | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
St Olaf | MSOE | ||
| Location | Northfield, MN | Milwaukee, WI | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,074 | 2,834 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #161 | #229 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | stolaf.edu | msoe.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
St Olaf | MSOE | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $56,970 | $46,385 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $56,970 | $46,385 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,000 | $12,562 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,282 | $26,122 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $41,918 | $34,412 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
St Olaf | MSOE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,956 | 6,032 | ||
| Admitted | 3,106 | 3,643 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 52.1% | 60.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 26.6% | 18.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 28/32 | 24/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1260/1470 | 1160/1405 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2026 | Sep 1, 2025 |
Academics |
St Olaf | MSOE | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
St Olaf | MSOE | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 57% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $68,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 91% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $279 |
Diversity |
St Olaf | MSOE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 2% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 75% | 66% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 7% | 13% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 8% |
Students |
St Olaf | MSOE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 47% | 56% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 43% | 41% | ||
Campus |
St Olaf | MSOE | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- St Olaf College is larger than than MSOE based on total student enrollment (3,074 students vs. 2,834 students)
St Olaf vs. MSOE Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or MSOE?
- St Olaf College is 22.8% more expensive to attend than MSOE for in-state tuition ($56,970.00 vs. $46,385.00)
- Out of state tuition is 22.8% higher at St Olaf than Milwaukee School of Engineering ($56,970.00 vs. $46,385.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Milwaukee School of Engineering than St Olaf ($26,122 vs. $27,282)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Milwaukee School of Engineering are 3.5% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($12,562 vs. $13,000)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College as Milwaukee School of Engineering (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 21.8% larger than aid received Milwaukee School of Engineering ($41,918 vs. $34,412)
St Olaf vs. MSOE Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf or MSOE? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between MSOE or St Olaf .
- The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 34 points higher than at MSOE (1248)
- Incoming St Olaf students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at MSOE (28)
- Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at MSOE (3.65)
- MSOE has a higher acceptance rate (60.4%) than St Olaf (52.1%)
St Olaf vs. MSOE Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, St Olaf or MSOE? 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 MSOE and St Olaf.
- The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Milwaukee School of Engineering (85% vs. 57%)
- Graduates from Milwaukee School of Engineering earn on average $15,200 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($68,900 vs. $53,700)
- Milwaukee School of Engineering and St Olaf graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
- Milwaukee School of Engineering and St Olaf graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
- More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MSOE students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 83%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/