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Carleton College UNC Chapel Hill University of Richmond Macalester College Lawrence University of St Thomas Minnesota BC Duke Villanova Whitman College UVA| St Olaf College | Wake Forest University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
St Olaf | Wake Forest | ||
| Location | Northfield, MN | Winston Salem, NC | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,074 | 9,121 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #161 | #44 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | stolaf.edu | wfu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
St Olaf | Wake Forest | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $56,970 | $63,608 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $56,970 | $63,608 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,000 | $17,848 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,282 | $27,790 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $41,918 | $55,090 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 34% |
Admission |
St Olaf | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,956 | 17,479 | ||
| Admitted | 3,106 | 3,768 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 52.1% | 21.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 26.6% | 36.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 28/32 | 32/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1260/1470 | 1390/1510 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
St Olaf | Wake Forest | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
St Olaf | Wake Forest | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 88% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $77,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 91% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $23,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $237 |
Diversity |
St Olaf | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 16% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 24% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 75% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
St Olaf | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 47% | 15% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 43% | 76% | ||
Campus |
St Olaf | Wake Forest | ||
| 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
- Wake Forest University is larger than than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (9,121 students vs. 3,074 students)
St Olaf vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or Wake Forest?
- Wake Forest University is 11.7% more expensive to attend than St Olaf for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $56,970.00)
- Out of state tuition is 11.7% higher at Wake Forest than St Olaf College ($63,608.00 vs. $56,970.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than Wake Forest ($27,282 vs. $27,790)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 37.3% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($13,000 vs. $17,848)
- More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Wake Forest University (100% vs. 34%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 31.4% larger than aid received St Olaf College ($55,090 vs. $41,918)
St Olaf vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf or Wake Forest? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wake Forest or St Olaf .
- St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (52.1%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)
St Olaf vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, St Olaf or Wake Forest? 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 Wake Forest and St Olaf.
- The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than St Olaf College (88% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $23,500 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $53,700)
- Wake Forest University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($23,000 vs. $27,000)
- Wake Forest graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($237 vs. $279)
- More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wake Forest students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 88%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/