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Carleton College Macalester College Lawrence University of St Thomas Minnesota South Dakota State University Whitman College Oberlin Denison Wooster Luther- Norse Lewis and Clark| St Olaf College | University of South Dakota | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
St Olaf | USD | ||
| Location | Northfield, MN | Vermillion, SD | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 3,074 | 9,868 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #161 | #576 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | stolaf.edu | usd.edu | ||
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Costs |
St Olaf | USD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $56,970 | $7,773 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $56,970 | $11,283 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,000 | $9,060 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,282 | $18,466 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $41,918 | $5,580 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 81% |
Admission |
St Olaf | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,956 | 5,349 | ||
| Admitted | 3,106 | 5,293 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 52.1% | 99% | ||
| Enrolled % | 26.6% | 25.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.43 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 28/32 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1260/1470 | 1110/1330 | ||
| 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 | USD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
St Olaf | USD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 47% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $48,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 91% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $258 |
Diversity |
St Olaf | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 12% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 75% | 85% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
St Olaf | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 47% | 53% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 43% | 41% | ||
Campus |
St Olaf | USD | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of South Dakota is larger than than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (9,868 students vs. 3,074 students)
St Olaf vs. USD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or USD?
- St Olaf College is 632.9% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($56,970.00 vs. $7,773.00)
- Out of state tuition is 404.9% higher at St Olaf than University of South Dakota ($56,970.00 vs. $11,283.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than St Olaf ($18,466 vs. $27,282)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 43.5% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($9,060 vs. $13,000)
- More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than University of South Dakota (100% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 651.2% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($41,918 vs. $5,580)
St Olaf vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf or USD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USD or St Olaf .
- The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 233 points higher than at USD (1049)
- Incoming St Olaf students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at USD (23)
- Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at USD (3.43)
- USD has a higher acceptance rate (99%) than St Olaf (52.1%)
St Olaf vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, St Olaf or USD? 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 USD and St Olaf.
- The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than University of South Dakota (85% vs. 47%)
- Graduates from St Olaf College earn on average $5,500 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $48,200)
- University of South Dakota students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
- USD graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
- More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/