St Olaf vs. St Lawrence University

Should I go to St Olaf College or St Lawrence University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if St Olaf or St Lawrence University 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 Lawrence University comparison
St Olaf College St Lawrence University College 3 College 4
St Olaf College St Lawrence University
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Overview

St Olaf St Lawrence University
Location Northfield, MN Canton, NY
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 3,046 2,175
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #159
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stolaf.edu stlawu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St Olaf St Lawrence University
Tuition (In State) $54,650 $61,600
Tuition (Out of State) $54,650 $61,600
Room & Board $12,450 $15,995
Avg Net Price $26,171 $33,283
Avg Grant Aid $40,399 $44,093
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

St Olaf St Lawrence University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,524 5,172
Admitted 3,116 3,284
Acceptance Rate 56.4% 63.5%
Enrolled % 27.9% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33 29/32
SAT Range 1300/1480 1240/1410
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

St Olaf St Lawrence University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

St Olaf St Lawrence University
Graduation Rate 85% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $53,100
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

St Olaf St Lawrence University
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 79%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 7% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

St Olaf St Lawrence University
% In-State 47% 34%
% Out-of-State 43% 55%

Campus

St Olaf St Lawrence University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • St Olaf College is larger than than St Lawrence University based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 2,175 students)

St Olaf vs. St Lawrence University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or St Lawrence University?

  • St Lawrence University is 12.7% more expensive to attend than St Olaf for in-state tuition ($61,600.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.7% higher at St Lawrence University than St Olaf College ($61,600.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than St Lawrence University ($26,171 vs. $33,283)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 28.5% lower than costs at St Lawrence University ($12,450 vs. $15,995)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than St Lawrence University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Lawrence University students is 9.1% larger than aid received St Olaf College ($44,093 vs. $40,399)

St Olaf vs. St Lawrence University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at St Lawrence University (3.6)
  • St Lawrence University has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than St Olaf (56.4%)

St Olaf vs. St Lawrence University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St Olaf or St Lawrence University? 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 Lawrence University and St Olaf.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than St Lawrence University (85% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from St Olaf College earn on average $600 more per year than St Lawrence University graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $53,100)
  • St Lawrence University and St Olaf graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • St Lawrence University 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 St Lawrence University students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 85%)

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