Loyola vs. St Olaf

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

Loyola St Olaf
Location Chicago, IL Northfield, MN
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 16,899 3,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #223 #156
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website luc.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Loyola St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $48,100 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $48,100 $54,650
Room & Board $15,520 $12,450
Avg Net Price $37,511 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $26,796 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

Loyola St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,909 5,524
Admitted 32,379 3,116
Acceptance Rate 79.1% 56.4%
Enrolled % 8.8% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/31 28/33
SAT Range 1180/1370 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, 2024

Academics

Loyola St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

Loyola St Olaf
Graduation Rate 70% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

Loyola St Olaf
% Men 31% 42%
% Women 69% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 75%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 14% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 5% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Loyola St Olaf
% In-State 45% 47%
% Out-of-State 42% 43%

Campus

Loyola 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

  • Loyola University Chicago is larger than than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (16,899 students vs. 3,046 students)

Loyola vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Loyola or St Olaf?

  • St Olaf College is 13.6% more expensive to attend than Loyola for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $48,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.6% higher at St Olaf than Loyola University Chicago ($54,650.00 vs. $48,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than Loyola ($26,171 vs. $37,511)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 24.7% lower than costs at Loyola University Chicago ($12,450 vs. $15,520)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Loyola University Chicago as St Olaf College (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 50.8% larger than aid received Loyola University Chicago ($40,399 vs. $26,796)

Loyola vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 87 points higher than at Loyola (1195)
  • Incoming St Olaf students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Loyola (27)
  • Accepted freshman Loyola students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at St Olaf (3.68)
  • Loyola has a higher acceptance rate (79.1%) than St Olaf (56.4%)

Loyola vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Loyola 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 Loyola.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Loyola University Chicago (85% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Loyola University Chicago earn on average $6,100 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $53,700)
  • Loyola University Chicago students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Loyola graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Loyola students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 76%)

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