St Olaf vs. Wisconsin

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

St Olaf Wisconsin
Location Northfield, MN Madison, WI
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 3,046 48,956
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #105
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stolaf.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St Olaf Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $54,650 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $54,650 $37,904
Room & Board $12,450 $12,894
Avg Net Price $26,171 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $40,399 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 47%

Admission

St Olaf Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,524 60,214
Admitted 3,116 29,539
Acceptance Rate 56.4% 49.1%
Enrolled % 27.9% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.88
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33 26/32
SAT Range 1300/1480 1340/1510
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

St Olaf Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

St Olaf Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 85% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $230

Diversity

St Olaf Wisconsin
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 76%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 7% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

St Olaf Wisconsin
% In-State 47% 43%
% Out-of-State 43% 47%

Campus

St Olaf Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin Madison is larger than than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 3,046 students)

St Olaf vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or Wisconsin?

  • St Olaf College is 489.3% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $9,273.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.2% higher at St Olaf than University of Wisconsin Madison ($54,650.00 vs. $37,904.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than St Olaf ($13,376 vs. $26,171)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 3.6% lower than costs at University of Wisconsin Madison ($12,450 vs. $12,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than University of Wisconsin Madison (99% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 261.6% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($40,399 vs. $11,171)

St Olaf vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 18 points higher than at St Olaf (1282)
  • Incoming St Olaf students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Wisconsin (29)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at St Olaf (3.68)
  • St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (56.4%) than Wisconsin (49.1%)

St Olaf vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St Olaf or Wisconsin? 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 Wisconsin and St Olaf.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than University of Wisconsin Madison (85% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $11,100 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $53,700)
  • University of Wisconsin Madison students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($22,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Wisconsin graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wisconsin students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 84%)

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