IWU vs. St Olaf

Should I go to Illinois Wesleyan University or St Olaf College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IWU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Carleton College Macalester College Lawrence ISU University of St Thomas Minnesota Bradley Whitman College Oberlin Denison Wooster Luther- Norse
Illinois Wesleyan University vs. St Olaf College comparison
Illinois Wesleyan University St Olaf College College 3 College 4
Illinois Wesleyan University St Olaf College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

IWU St Olaf
Location Bloomington, IL Northfield, MN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,527 3,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #156
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $54,650
Room & Board $12,418 $12,450
Avg Net Price $30,096 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

IWU St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 5,524
Admitted 1,861 3,116
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 56.4%
Enrolled % 20.5% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 28/33
SAT Range 1120/1330 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

IWU St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

IWU St Olaf
Graduation Rate 82% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

IWU St Olaf
% Men 51% 42%
% Women 49% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 75%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 9% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

IWU St Olaf
% In-State 77% 47%
% Out-of-State 14% 43%

Campus

IWU 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 IWU based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or St Olaf?

  • St Olaf College is 1.9% more expensive to attend than IWU for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $53,610.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.9% higher at St Olaf than Illinois Wesleyan University ($54,650.00 vs. $53,610.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than IWU ($26,171 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 0.3% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($12,418 vs. $12,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than St Olaf College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 10.3% larger than aid received Illinois Wesleyan University ($40,399 vs. $36,614)

IWU vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 33 points higher than at IWU (1249)
  • Incoming St Olaf students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at IWU (28)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at St Olaf (3.68)
  • St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (56.4%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU 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 IWU.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Illinois Wesleyan University (85% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $6,800 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $53,700)
  • St Olaf College and IWU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • St Olaf College and IWU 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 IWU students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 87%)

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