University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. St. Cloud State University

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

University of Minnesota-Duluth St. Cloud State University
Location Duluth, MN Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 9,350 10,514
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #544 #622
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umn.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Minnesota-Duluth St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $12,766 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $18,210 $8,811
Room & Board $10,206 $9,630
Avg Net Price $19,542 $14,648
Avg Grant Aid $6,833 $7,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 74%

Admission

University of Minnesota-Duluth St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,502 5,026
Admitted 7,768 4,772
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 94.9%
Enrolled % 23.4% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/28 18/25
SAT Range 1128/1335 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 Aug 1, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

University of Minnesota-Duluth St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

University of Minnesota-Duluth St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 55% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $232

Diversity

University of Minnesota-Duluth St. Cloud State University
% Men 4% 8%
% Women 5% 12%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 73%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

University of Minnesota-Duluth St. Cloud State University
% In-State 85% 75%
% Out-of-State 14% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Cloud State University is larger than than University of Minnesota-Duluth based on total student enrollment (10,514 students vs. 9,350 students)

University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Minnesota-Duluth or St. Cloud State University?

  • University of Minnesota Duluth is 44.9% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($12,766.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 106.7% higher at University of Minnesota-Duluth than Saint Cloud State University ($18,210.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than University of Minnesota-Duluth ($14,648 vs. $19,542)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 6% lower than costs at University of Minnesota Duluth ($9,630 vs. $10,206)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Duluth than Saint Cloud State University (90% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Cloud State University students is 7.5% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Duluth ($7,348 vs. $6,833)

University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of Minnesota-Duluth 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 University of Minnesota-Duluth .

  • The average SAT score at University of Minnesota Duluth (1109) is 79 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming University of Minnesota-Duluth students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman University of Minnesota-Duluth students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than University of Minnesota-Duluth (81.8%)

University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Minnesota-Duluth 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 University of Minnesota-Duluth.

  • The graduation rate at University of Minnesota-Duluth is higher than Saint Cloud State University (55% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from University of Minnesota Duluth earn on average $6,800 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $46,700)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,000)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($232 vs. $258)
  • More University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 67%)

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