Wheaton College vs. St. Kate's

Should I go to Wheaton College or St Catherine University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wheaton College or St. Kate's 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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Wheaton College vs. St Catherine University comparison
Wheaton College St Catherine University College 3 College 4
Wheaton College St Catherine University
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Overview

Wheaton College St. Kate's
Location Wheaton, IL Saint Paul, MN
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,885 3,577
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #166 #276
Religious Affiliation Undenominational Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu stkate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College St. Kate's
Tuition (In State) $41,990 $46,976
Tuition (Out of State) $41,990 $46,976
Room & Board $11,690 $9,900
Avg Net Price $29,961 $19,976
Avg Grant Aid $24,272 $37,012
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Wheaton College St. Kate's
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,893 1,512
Admitted 1,674 1,399
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 92.5%
Enrolled % 30.1% 24.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 28/33 18/26
SAT Range 1250/1430 1155/1450
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, 2025

Academics

Wheaton College St. Kate's
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Health Professions (51%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Human Services (5%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College St. Kate's
Graduation Rate 87% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $50,100
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $289

Diversity

Wheaton College St. Kate's
% Men 43% 7%
% Women 57% 93%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 64%
% Black 3% 9%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Wheaton College St. Kate's
% In-State 23% 80%
% Out-of-State 70% 17%

Campus

Wheaton College St. Kate's
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • St Catherine University is larger than than Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (3,577 students vs. 2,885 students)

Wheaton College vs. St. Kate's Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or St. Kate's?

  • St Catherine University is 11.9% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($46,976.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.9% higher at St. Kate's than Wheaton College ($46,976.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Catherine University than Wheaton College ($19,976 vs. $29,961)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Catherine University are 18.1% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($9,900 vs. $11,690)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College as St Catherine University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Catherine University students is 52.5% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($37,012 vs. $24,272)

Wheaton College vs. St. Kate's Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 282 points higher than at St. Kate's (1032)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at St. Kate's (22)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at St. Kate's (3.62)
  • St. Kate's has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than Wheaton College (88.4%)

Wheaton College vs. St. Kate's Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or St. Kate's? 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. Kate's and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than St Catherine University (87% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $4,200 more per year than St. Kate's graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $50,100)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Kate's graduates. ($22,500 vs. $28,000)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than St. Kate's graduates. ($232 vs. $289)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Kate's students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 65%)

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