University of South Alabama vs. St. Cloud State University

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

University of South Alabama St. Cloud State University
Location Mobile, AL Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 13,438 10,420
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #684 #710
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website southalabama.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of South Alabama St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $8,616 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $17,232 $18,695
Room & Board $8,510 $9,950
Avg Net Price $15,664 $14,065
Avg Grant Aid $7,686 $6,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 98%

Admission

University of South Alabama St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,550 4,810
Admitted 8,203 4,583
Acceptance Rate 65.4% 95.3%
Enrolled % 19.7% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 18/24
SAT Range 1003/1200 1027/1200
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

University of South Alabama St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

University of South Alabama St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 39% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,200 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $253 $232

Diversity

University of South Alabama St. Cloud State University
% Men 32% 43%
% Women 68% 57%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 73%
% Black 24% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 5% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

University of South Alabama St. Cloud State University
% In-State 73% 75%
% Out-of-State 25% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Alabama is larger than than St. Cloud State University based on total student enrollment (13,438 students vs. 10,420 students)

University of South Alabama vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of South Alabama or St. Cloud State University?

  • Saint Cloud State University is 2.3% more expensive to attend than University of South Alabama for in-state tuition ($8,811.00 vs. $8,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.5% higher at St. Cloud State University than University of South Alabama ($18,695.00 vs. $17,232.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than University of South Alabama ($14,065 vs. $15,664)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Alabama are 16.9% lower than costs at Saint Cloud State University ($8,510 vs. $9,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Cloud State University than University of South Alabama (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Alabama students is 27.2% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($7,686 vs. $6,042)

University of South Alabama vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of South Alabama 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 South Alabama .

  • The average SAT score at University of South Alabama (1045) is 15 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming University of South Alabama students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman University of South Alabama students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than University of South Alabama (65.4%)

University of South Alabama vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of South Alabama 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 South Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at St. Cloud State University is higher than University of South Alabama (48% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Saint Cloud State University earn on average $1,500 more per year than University of South Alabama graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $45,200)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than University of South Alabama graduates. ($22,500 vs. $24,500)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than University of South Alabama graduates. ($232 vs. $253)
  • More St. Cloud State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of South Alabama students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 45%)

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