Minnesota vs. St. Cloud State University

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

Minnesota St. Cloud State University
Location Minneapolis, MN Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 54,955 10,420
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #140 #710
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umn.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Minnesota St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $14,006 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $33,246 $18,695
Room & Board $11,894 $9,950
Avg Net Price $16,018 $14,065
Avg Grant Aid $11,388 $6,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 98%

Admission

Minnesota St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,050 4,810
Admitted 28,504 4,583
Acceptance Rate 74.9% 95.3%
Enrolled % 23.6% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.4
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 18/24
SAT Range 1290/1500 1027/1200
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 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Minnesota St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Minnesota St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 70% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,200 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,185 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $208 $232

Diversity

Minnesota St. Cloud State University
% Men 44% 43%
% Women 56% 57%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 73%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 9% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Minnesota St. Cloud State University
% In-State 68% 75%
% Out-of-State 26% 11%

Campus

Minnesota 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

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is larger than than St. Cloud State University based on total student enrollment (54,955 students vs. 10,420 students)

Minnesota vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is 59% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($14,006.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77.8% higher at Minnesota than Saint Cloud State University ($33,246.00 vs. $18,695.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than Minnesota ($14,065 vs. $16,018)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 19.5% lower than costs at University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($9,950 vs. $11,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Cloud State University than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (98% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Minnesota Twin Cities students is 88.5% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($11,388 vs. $6,042)

Minnesota vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Minnesota 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 Minnesota .

  • The average SAT score at University of Minnesota Twin Cities (1288) is 258 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming Minnesota students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Minnesota students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Minnesota (74.9%)

Minnesota vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Minnesota 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 Minnesota.

  • The graduation rate at Minnesota is higher than Saint Cloud State University (70% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from University of Minnesota Twin Cities earn on average $11,500 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $46,700)
  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities students graduate with a $2,315 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($20,185 vs. $22,500)
  • Minnesota graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than St. Cloud State University graduates. ($208 vs. $232)
  • More Minnesota graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 67%)

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