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
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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 2,799 3,533
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #282
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) $43,670 $48,864
Tuition (Out of State) $43,670 $48,864
Room & Board $12,390 $11,636
Avg Net Price $31,346 $22,357
Avg Grant Aid $25,196 $36,206
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

 Wheaton College St. Kate's
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,866 1,703
Admitted 1,679 1,602
Acceptance Rate 90% 94.1%
Enrolled % 32.9% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 18/26
SAT Range 1260/1440 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, 2026

Academics

 Wheaton College St. Kate's
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 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 10% 3%
% Women 14% 28%
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 21% 83%
% Out-of-State 54% 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 (3,533 students vs. 2,799 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 ($48,864.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.9% higher at St. Kate's than Wheaton College ($48,864.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Catherine University than Wheaton College ($22,357 vs. $31,346)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Catherine University are 6.5% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($11,636 vs. $12,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Catherine University than Wheaton College (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Catherine University students is 43.7% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($36,206 vs. $25,196)

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 (94.1%) than Wheaton College (90%)

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/