St. Kate's vs. UW-La Crosse

Comparable Facts

Compare St Catherine University in Saint Paul, MN with University of Wisconsin La Crosse in La Crosse, WI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Wisconsin La Crosse is larger than St. Kate's based on total student enrollment (10,446 students vs. 3,651 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• St Catherine University is located in Saint Paul, MN (Large City setting); University of Wisconsin La Crosse is in La Crosse, WI (Small City setting).
• St Catherine University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Wisconsin La Crosse is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St Catherine University 9:1; University of Wisconsin La Crosse 20:1.

St. Kate's vs. UW-La Crosse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Kate's or UW-La Crosse? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin La Crosse than St. Kate's ($14,712 vs. $20,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin La Crosse are 28.6% lower than at St Catherine University ($8,702 vs. $12,188).
• St Catherine University is 411% more expensive for in-state tuition than UW-La Crosse (about $41,384 more per year; $51,454.00 vs. $10,070.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 163.6% higher at St. Kate's than at University of Wisconsin La Crosse (about $31,937 more per year; $51,454.00 vs. $19,517.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St Catherine University than at University of Wisconsin La Crosse (100% vs. 44%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St Catherine University students is 791.1% larger than aid received by University of Wisconsin La Crosse students ($40,092 vs. $4,499).

St. Kate's vs. UW-La Crosse Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Kate's or UW-La Crosse? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UW-La Crosse and St. Kate's.

• Incoming UW-La Crosse students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (24 vs. 23 at St. Kate's).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St Catherine University 850/1140.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St Catherine University 20/26; University of Wisconsin La Crosse 22/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Kate's - Test optional; UW-La Crosse - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman St. Kate's students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at UW-La Crosse (3.6).
• St. Kate's has a higher acceptance rate (91.8%) than UW-La Crosse (75.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.8% at St. Kate's vs. 43.2% at UW-La Crosse.

St. Kate's vs. UW-La Crosse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Kate's and UW-La Crosse? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• University of Wisconsin La Crosse's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than St Catherine University's (65%).
• Graduates from St Catherine University earn a median of about $600 more per year than UW-La Crosse graduates about ten years after starting college ($50,100 vs. $49,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Wisconsin La Crosse graduates have a $4,750 lower median loan debt than St. Kate's graduates ($23,250 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, UW-La Crosse graduates have an estimated $49 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St. Kate's graduates ($240 vs. $289).
• More UW-La Crosse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Kate's students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 65%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.