ISU vs. St. Cloud State University

Should I go to Iowa State University or Saint Cloud State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU or St. Cloud State University 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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Iowa State University vs. Saint Cloud State University comparison
Iowa State University Saint Cloud State University College 3 College 4
Iowa State University Saint Cloud State University
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Overview

ISU St. Cloud State University
Location Ames, IA Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 29,969 10,420
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #710
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $18,695
Room & Board $9,358 $9,950
Avg Net Price $15,310 $14,065
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $6,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 98%

Admission

ISU St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 4,810
Admitted 19,776 4,583
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 95.3%
Enrolled % 29% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.4
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 18/24
SAT Range 1090/1350 1027/1200
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 15, 2024

Academics

ISU St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

ISU St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 68% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $232

Diversity

ISU St. Cloud State University
% Men 55% 43%
% Women 45% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 73%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

ISU St. Cloud State University
% In-State 52% 75%
% Out-of-State 45% 11%

Campus

ISU St. Cloud State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than St. Cloud State University based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 10,420 students)

ISU vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or St. Cloud State University?

  • Saint Cloud State University is 1.5% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($8,811.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.6% higher at ISU than Saint Cloud State University ($25,162.00 vs. $18,695.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than ISU ($14,065 vs. $15,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 6.3% lower than costs at Saint Cloud State University ($9,358 vs. $9,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Cloud State University than Iowa State University (98% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 82.8% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($11,043 vs. $6,042)

ISU vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 112 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than ISU (90.2%)

ISU vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or St. Cloud State University? 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. Cloud State University and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Saint Cloud State University (68% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $7,000 more per year than St. Cloud State University graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $46,700)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $1,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,868)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($232 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Cloud State University students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 67%)

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