St Olaf vs. Oberlin

Deciding between St Olaf College and Oberlin 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
Oberlin College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • St Olaf Northfield, MN
  • Oberlin Oberlin, OH
  • Setting
  • St Olaf Distant Town
  • Oberlin Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • St Olaf 3,124
  • Oberlin 2,909
  • Type
  • St Olaf Private 4 Year
  • Oberlin Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • St Olaf #143
  • Oberlin #153
  • Religious Affiliation
  • St Olaf Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Oberlin -
  • Status
  • St Olaf Non-profit
  • Oberlin Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • St Olaf
  • Oberlin

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • St Olaf $59,760
  • Oberlin $67,366
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • St Olaf $59,760
  • Oberlin $67,366
  • Room & Board
  • St Olaf $13,630
  • Oberlin $19,510
  • Average Net Price
  • St Olaf $26,756
  • Oberlin $51,624
  • Average Grant Aid
  • St Olaf $45,098
  • Oberlin $35,780
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • St Olaf 100%
  • Oberlin 99%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • St Olaf 6,623
  • Oberlin 10,536
  • Admitted
  • St Olaf 3,200
  • Oberlin 3,601
  • Acceptance Rate
  • St Olaf 48.3%
  • Oberlin 34.2%
  • Enrolled
  • St Olaf 26.8%
  • Oberlin 19.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • St Olaf 1390
  • Oberlin 1440
  • Typical ACT score
  • St Olaf 30
  • Oberlin 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • St Olaf 3.68
  • Oberlin 3.67
  • Typical High School Grades
  • St Olaf A-
  • Oberlin A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • St Olaf Very High
  • Oberlin Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • St Olaf Low
  • Oberlin High
  • ACT Range
  • St Olaf 28/32
  • Oberlin 31/34
  • SAT Range
  • St Olaf 1300/1470
  • Oberlin 1360/1520
  • Submit Test Scores
  • St Olaf Test optional
  • Oberlin Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • St Olaf Jan 15, 2027
  • Oberlin Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • St Olaf 11:1
  • Oberlin 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • St Olaf
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Physical Sciences (8%)
    • Mathematics (8%)
  • Oberlin
    • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • English and Literature (9%)
    • Ethnic Studies (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • St Olaf 85%
  • Oberlin 88%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • St Olaf $53,700
  • Oberlin $43,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • St Olaf 91%
  • Oberlin 82%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • St Olaf $27,000
  • Oberlin $26,579
  • Median Loan Payment
  • St Olaf $279
  • Oberlin $274

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • St Olaf 42%
  • Oberlin 41%
  • % Women
  • St Olaf 58%
  • Oberlin 59%
  • Racial Diversity
  • St Olaf Low
  • Oberlin Medium
  • HBCU
  • St Olaf No
  • Oberlin No
  • % White
  • St Olaf 75%
  • Oberlin 68%
  • % Asian
  • St Olaf 6%
  • Oberlin 4%
  • % Black
  • St Olaf 2%
  • Oberlin 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • St Olaf 5%
  • Oberlin 8%
  • % Native American
  • St Olaf 0%
  • Oberlin 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • St Olaf 0%
  • Oberlin 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • St Olaf 4%
  • Oberlin 6%
  • % International
  • St Olaf 7%
  • Oberlin 8%
  • % Unknown Race
  • St Olaf 1%
  • Oberlin 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • St Olaf 44%
  • Oberlin 6%
  • % Out-of-State
  • St Olaf 42%
  • Oberlin 82%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

St Olaf College is larger than Oberlin based on total student enrollment (3,124 students vs. 2,909 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

St Olaf vs. Oberlin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or Oberlin? 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 Oberlin ($26,756 vs. $51,624).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 30.1% lower than at Oberlin College ($13,630 vs. $19,510).
  • Oberlin College is 12.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than St Olaf (about $7,606 more per year; $67,366.00 vs. $59,760.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 12.7% higher at Oberlin than at St Olaf College (about $7,606 more per year; $67,366.00 vs. $59,760.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at St Olaf College than at Oberlin College (100% vs. 99%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 26% larger than aid received by Oberlin College students ($45,098 vs. $35,780).

St Olaf vs. Oberlin Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Oberlin College (1440) is 50 points higher than at St Olaf (1390).
  • Incoming Oberlin 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; Oberlin College 1360/1520.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St Olaf College 28/32; Oberlin College 31/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St Olaf - Test optional; Oberlin - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: St Olaf Jan 15, 2027; Oberlin Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Oberlin (3.67).
  • St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (48.3%) than Oberlin (34.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 26.8% at St Olaf vs. 19.5% at Oberlin.

St Olaf vs. Oberlin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Oberlin College's six-year graduation rate (88%) is higher than St Olaf College's (85%).
  • Graduates from St Olaf College earn a median of about $9,800 more per year than Oberlin graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,700 vs. $43,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Oberlin College graduates have a $421 lower median loan debt than St Olaf graduates ($26,579 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Oberlin graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St Olaf graduates ($274 vs. $279).
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oberlin students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 82%)

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.