Minnesota vs. St Olaf

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

Minnesota St Olaf
Location Minneapolis, MN Northfield, MN
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 54,890 3,074
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #150 #161
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umn.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Minnesota St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $14,496 $56,970
Tuition (Out of State) $34,410 $56,970
Room & Board $13,028 $13,000
Avg Net Price $16,730 $27,282
Avg Grant Aid $11,807 $41,918
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 100%

Admission

Minnesota St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 39,863 5,956
Admitted 30,705 3,106
Acceptance Rate 77% 52.1%
Enrolled % 21.9% 26.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/31 28/32
SAT Range 1310/1480 1260/1470
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, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Minnesota St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

Minnesota St Olaf
Graduation Rate 70% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,200 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,185 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $208 $279

Diversity

Minnesota St Olaf
% Men 12% 0%
% Women 16% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 75%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 9% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Minnesota St Olaf
% In-State 66% 47%
% Out-of-State 26% 43%

Campus

Minnesota St Olaf
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is larger than than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (54,890 students vs. 3,074 students)

Minnesota vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Minnesota or St Olaf?

  • St Olaf College is 293% more expensive to attend than Minnesota for in-state tuition ($56,970.00 vs. $14,496.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.6% higher at St Olaf than University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($56,970.00 vs. $34,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Twin Cities than St Olaf ($16,730 vs. $27,282)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 0.2% lower than costs at University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($13,000 vs. $13,028)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (100% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 255% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($41,918 vs. $11,807)

Minnesota vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Minnesota Twin Cities (1288) is 6 points higher than at St Olaf (1282)
  • Incoming Minnesota students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at St Olaf (29)
  • Accepted freshman Minnesota students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at St Olaf (3.68)
  • Minnesota has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than St Olaf (52.1%)

Minnesota vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (85% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of Minnesota Twin Cities earn on average $4,500 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $53,700)
  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities students graduate with a $6,815 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($20,185 vs. $27,000)
  • Minnesota graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($208 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Minnesota students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 74%)

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