Iowa vs. St. Cloud State University

Should I go to University of Iowa or Saint Cloud State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iowa or St. Cloud State 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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University of Iowa vs. Saint Cloud State University comparison
University of Iowa Saint Cloud State University College 3 College 4
University of Iowa Saint Cloud State University
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Overview

 Iowa St. Cloud State University
Location Iowa City, IA Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 30,042 10,514
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #225 #622
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $8,811
Room & Board $12,616 $9,630
Avg Net Price $20,121 $14,648
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $7,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 74%

Admission

 Iowa St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,682 5,026
Admitted 21,746 4,772
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 94.9%
Enrolled % 23.3% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.4
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 18/25
SAT Range 1130/1320 970/1280
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 May 1, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

 Iowa St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 Iowa St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 71% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $223 $232

Diversity

 Iowa St. Cloud State University
% Men 12% 8%
% Women 14% 12%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 73%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Iowa St. Cloud State University
% In-State 52% 75%
% Out-of-State 46% 11%

Campus

 Iowa St. Cloud State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than St. Cloud State University based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 10,514 students)

Iowa vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or St. Cloud State University?

  • University of Iowa is 2.3% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($9,016.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 251.6% higher at Iowa than Saint Cloud State University ($30,979.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than Iowa ($14,648 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 31% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($9,630 vs. $12,616)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa as Saint Cloud State University (74% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Iowa students is 29.5% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($9,512 vs. $7,348)

Iowa vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 134 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Iowa (84.7%)

Iowa vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa or St. Cloud State 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. Cloud State University and Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Saint Cloud State University (71% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $13,100 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $46,700)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $884 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($21,616 vs. $22,500)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($223 vs. $232)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 67%)

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