Wartburg College vs. St Olaf

Should I go to Wartburg College or St Olaf College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wartburg College 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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Wartburg College vs. St Olaf College comparison
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St Olaf College
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Overview

Wartburg College St Olaf
Location Waverly, IA Northfield, MN
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,444 3,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #654 #156
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wartburg.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wartburg College St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $46,740 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $46,740 $54,650
Room & Board $10,280 $12,450
Avg Net Price $23,683 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $36,157 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

Wartburg College St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,779 5,524
Admitted 2,708 3,116
Acceptance Rate 97.4% 56.4%
Enrolled % 13% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 28/33
SAT Range 970/1120 1300/1480
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 15, 2025

Academics

Wartburg College St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

Wartburg College St Olaf
Graduation Rate 63% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,100 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Wartburg College St Olaf
% Men 49% 42%
% Women 51% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 75%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Wartburg College St Olaf
% In-State 70% 47%
% Out-of-State 27% 43%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • St Olaf College is larger than than Wartburg College based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 1,444 students)

Wartburg College vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wartburg College or St Olaf?

  • St Olaf College is 16.9% more expensive to attend than Wartburg College for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $46,740.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.9% higher at St Olaf than Wartburg College ($54,650.00 vs. $46,740.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wartburg College than St Olaf ($23,683 vs. $26,171)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wartburg College are 21.1% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($10,280 vs. $12,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Wartburg College (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 11.7% larger than aid received Wartburg College ($40,399 vs. $36,157)

Wartburg College vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 177 points higher than at Wartburg College (1105)
  • Incoming St Olaf students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Wartburg College (24)
  • Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Wartburg College (3.48)
  • Wartburg College has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than St Olaf (56.4%)

Wartburg College vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wartburg College 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 Wartburg College.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Wartburg College (85% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from St Olaf College earn on average $5,600 more per year than Wartburg College graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $48,100)
  • St Olaf College and Wartburg College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • St Olaf College and Wartburg College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wartburg College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 81%)

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