St Olaf vs. St. Kate's

Should I go to St Olaf College or St Catherine University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if St Olaf or St. Kate's 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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St Olaf College vs. St Catherine University comparison
St Olaf College St Catherine University College 3 College 4
St Olaf College St Catherine University
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Overview

St Olaf St. Kate's
Location Northfield, MN Saint Paul, MN
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 3,046 3,577
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #276
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stolaf.edu stkate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St Olaf St. Kate's
Tuition (In State) $54,650 $46,976
Tuition (Out of State) $54,650 $46,976
Room & Board $12,450 $9,900
Avg Net Price $26,171 $19,976
Avg Grant Aid $40,399 $37,012
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

St Olaf St. Kate's
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,524 1,512
Admitted 3,116 1,399
Acceptance Rate 56.4% 92.5%
Enrolled % 27.9% 24.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.62
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/33 18/26
SAT Range 1300/1480 1155/1450
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

St Olaf St. Kate's
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Health Professions (51%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Human Services (5%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

St Olaf St. Kate's
Graduation Rate 85% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $50,100
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $289

Diversity

St Olaf St. Kate's
% Men 42% 7%
% Women 58% 93%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 75% 64%
% Black 2% 9%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

St Olaf St. Kate's
% In-State 47% 80%
% Out-of-State 43% 17%

Campus

St Olaf St. Kate's
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • St Catherine University is larger than than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (3,577 students vs. 3,046 students)

St Olaf vs. St. Kate's Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or St. Kate's?

  • St Olaf College is 16.3% more expensive to attend than St. Kate's for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $46,976.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.3% higher at St Olaf than St Catherine University ($54,650.00 vs. $46,976.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Catherine University than St Olaf ($19,976 vs. $26,171)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Catherine University are 25.8% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($9,900 vs. $12,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Catherine University than St Olaf College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 9.2% larger than aid received St Catherine University ($40,399 vs. $37,012)

St Olaf vs. St. Kate's Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf or St. Kate's? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between St. Kate's or St Olaf .

  • The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 250 points higher than at St. Kate's (1032)
  • Incoming St Olaf students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at St. Kate's (22)
  • Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at St. Kate's (3.62)
  • St. Kate's has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than St Olaf (56.4%)

St Olaf vs. St. Kate's Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St Olaf or St. Kate's? 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 St. Kate's and St Olaf.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than St Catherine University (85% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from St Olaf College earn on average $3,600 more per year than St. Kate's graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $50,100)
  • St Olaf College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Kate's graduates. ($27,000 vs. $28,000)
  • St Olaf graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than St. Kate's graduates. ($279 vs. $289)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Kate's students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 65%)

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